'Israeli' court acquits settler in Jerusalem nun assault case
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'Israeli' court on Wednesday acquitted settler Yona Simcha Schreiber of criminal charges over the assault of a Catholic nun in Jerusalem, ruling that he was experiencing active psychosis at the time and could not be held legally responsible for his actions.
The Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court found that Schreiber, 36, carried out the physical acts described in the indictment but accepted state psychiatric evaluations diagnosing him with schizophrenia and concluding that he was unable to understand or control his actions during the incident.
The court ordered Schreiber to undergo involuntary psychiatric hospitalization for up to six years.
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Security footage showed Schreiber approaching a 48-year-old French Catholic nun from behind and pushing her to the ground before returning and kicking her. He also assaulted a passerby who attempted to intervene.
Schreiber, a resident of the West Bank settlement of Peduel, had initially been charged with assault causing actual bodily harm motivated by hostility toward a religious group.
Prosecutors initially questioned the psychiatric assessment but ultimately joined the defense in seeking an acquittal alongside an order for long-term psychiatric treatment.
His public defender claimed Schreiber requires long-term medical care.
- 'Israel's' constant attacks on religions -
Against Christianity:
The case comes amid broader concerns over attacks and harassment targeting Christian clergy and religious sites in the occupied Palestinian territories as well as Lebanon.
Human rights organizations have documented repeated incidents in occupied East Jerusalem, including spitting, verbal abuse, and physical assaults targeting Christian clergy.
Read more: 'Israel' arrests suspect after Jerusalem nun assault sparks outrage
Historic religious sites, including the Protestant cemetery on Mount Zion, the Church of the Flagellation, and the Church of Saint Savior, have also been subjected to vandalism and anti-Christian graffiti.
Christian sites in the Gaza Strip have also been damaged during 'Israeli' military operations. An 'Israeli' airstrike struck the compound of the Church of Saint Porphyrius in Gaza City, killing 18 displaced civilians sheltering there, while the Holy Family Catholic Church was damaged by artillery and sniper fire, with two civilian women killed inside the parish grounds.
Images from Lebanon:
Against Islam:
Islamic holy sites have likewise suffered extensive damage since the start of the occupation in 1948.
More recently, after October 7, 'Israeli' bombardment has destroyed hundreds of mosques in the Gaza Strip, including the historic Great Omari Mosque.
In the West Bank and East Jerusalem, mosques have faced settler attacks, including arson and so-called "price tag" attacks, as well as damage during Israeli military operations.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem remains a major flashpoint, with Palestinian worshippers facing restrictions and 'Israeli' security forces carrying out raids, while visits by far-right 'Israeli' ministers and settlers have further heightened tensions surrounding access to the mosque.
