Foreign minister joins condemnations of ultra-Orthodox Jews seen spitting at Christians

Orthodox Jews filmed spitting at Christian tourists in the Old City of Jerusalem on October 2, 2023. (Screen capture/Twitter)
Orthodox Jews filmed spitting at Christian tourists in the Old City of Jerusalem on October 2, 2023. (Screen capture/Twitter)

Foreign Minister Eli Cohen joins the wave of condemnations against a group of ultra-Orthodox Jews seen spitting toward Christian worshippers in the Old City of Jerusalem.

“I condemn this disgusting phenomenon of spitting on Christians and harming any person because of his religion or beliefs,” Cohen says in a statement. “I call on all citizens of Israel to respect the tradition and faith of anyone who enters the holy city of Jerusalem.”

Some have defended the practice as being an “ancient Jewish custom,” though most figures have condemned the act caught on film yesterday.

Most Popular
If you’d like to comment, join
The Times of Israel Community.
Join The Times of Israel Community
Commenting is available for paying members of The Times of Israel Community only. Please join our Community to comment and enjoy other Community benefits.
Please use the following structure: example@domain.com
Confirm Mail
Thank you! Now check your email
You are now a member of The Times of Israel Community! We sent you an email with a login link to . Once you're set up, you can start enjoying Community benefits and commenting.