From the Liveblog of
Thursday, February 19, 2026
Police investigating ‘revenge’ graffiti on Jerusalem’s Church of the Visitation
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GooglePolice are investigating nationalist graffiti that was found on the walls of the Church of the Visitation, a prominent Christian holy site in Jerusalem.
The messages, written in red spray paint, read “Revenge” and “David, king of Israel lives and endures.” They were found near the church’s entrance and on its outer wall, respectively.
#صور| مستوطنون يعتدون على كنيسة الزيارة في قرية عين كارم المهجّرة. pic.twitter.com/JtCyq7IpqI
— المركز الفلسطيني للإعلام (@PalinfoAr) February 19, 2026
Graffiti in the same red paint was also found on a car parked nearby, appearing to read: “The (Jewish) messiah is here!” The parentheses are original to the graffiti.
Police say officers arrived this morning at the Catholic church, in Jerusalem’s Ein Kerem neighborhood, and began to collect evidence in order to track down the vandals.
The Times of Israel Community.