Jaffa police arrest suspect for vandalism at Catholic church

Israeli police have arrested a man in his twenties, a resident of Jaffa, in connection with the vandalism of the St. Anthony Catholic Church. The incident, which occurred on Sunday, August 16, involved the destruction of several religious figures and a cross within the Franciscan monastery.

This event follows a reported increase in anti-Christian incidents in Israel. According to the Religious Freedom Data Center, the number of such acts rose from 44 in the first quarter of 2026 to 83 in the second quarter. Data from 2025 showed a total of 181 attacks on Christians across the country, with 150 of those occurring in Jerusalem.