Jerusalem’s Armenians Are under Attack, and the World Is Looking away

Adding to the concerns, Israel’s current political climate, characterized by the strong influence of nationalist and right-wing parties, has led many observers to worry that extremist settlers and ultra-nationalist groups feel increasingly emboldened.

Indeed, these are not merely isolated incidents involving a handful of individuals but rather part of a recurring pattern involving extremist religious and settler activists whose actions make life increasingly difficult for Jerusalem’s Armenian community.

Israel’s Test

The Israeli government’s failure to adequately remedy this situation has understandably raised concerns within the Armenian community about its commitment to protecting vulnerable minorities, and the persistence of these attacks raises serious concerns about the adequacy of law enforcement and deterrence of what has become a sustained pattern of harassment, intimidation, dehumanization, and attacks against a historic religious minority.

When perpetrators consistently avoid accountability, the likelihood of repeated violence increases as the perception of impunity encourages further incidents.

Moreover, this is about more than the Armenian community. Even some of Israel’s closest friends – including prominent evangelical Christians in the United States — have begun questioning whether the country is doing enough to protect its Christian communities.

Israel prides itself on being the Middle East‘s only liberal democracy and on safeguarding the holy places of the three great monotheistic faiths. That claim is weakened every time clergy are spat upon, churches vandalized, or worshipers intimidated with little consequence for the perpetrators.

So what should practically be done?

The Israeli government, and the police in particular, should adopt more effective measures to eliminate this phenomenon. Existing laws protecting public order, religious freedom, and against hate crimes should be enforced consistently and vigorously.

Where current penalties prove insufficient to deter repeat offenders, policymakers should consider strengthening legal sanctions. Meaningful criminal penalties — including imprisonment in serious cases – as well as financial compensation for victims where appropriate, would send a clear message that religiously motivated harassment will not be tolerated.

I also call upon the United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR), Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, B’Tselem, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, and other human rights organizations to investigate these recurring incidents, monitor developments closely, and advocate for stronger protection of Jerusalem’s Armenian community.

There is a responsibility on the part of the world’s media as well. If similar incidents occurred in cities such as Los Angeles, Toronto, or New York, they would likely receive extensive national and international media attention. Yet comparable incidents in Jerusalem’s Old City often receive relatively limited coverage.

Amid the war in Gaza, increasing settler violence in the West Bank, and broader regional tensions, the ongoing harassment of Jerusalem’s Armenian community has largely remained outside international public attention.

Israel has both a legal and moral responsibility to protect all communities under its jurisdiction, including religious and ethnic minorities. The current situation raises serious questions about whether sufficient protection is being provided to vulnerable groups in East Jerusalem. The answer is a resounding no.

Jerusalem remains one of the world’s most contested cities. The Armenian community in it faces a genuine existential challenge. Its population has steadily declined over the past several decades, raising concerns about its long-term future in the city.

Preserving this ancient community is essential not only for the Armenians but also for safeguarding Jerusalem’s unique religious, cultural, and historical diversity for future generations.

This is a test of whether Israel intends to uphold the principles of religious freedom and equal protection that it rightly says distinguish it from its neighbors.

(The writer was born and raised in the Old City of Jerusalem. A Guggenheim Fellow, he is professor of Modern Middle East history and Hymen Rosenberg Professor in Judaic Studies at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. He is also the Director of Genocide Research at the Zoryan Institute. This commentary originally appeared in the Jerusalem Post.)