“Because the cross was fixed very well in the basalt stone, it was removed but it was not by coincidence,” Roewekamp told AFP.
This is not the first act of vandalism against the Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes in recent years.
An arsonist torched the church property in June 2015 badly damaging the church entrance, adjoining Benedictine monastery, and pilgrim office. Hebrew-language graffiti left at the site read “all idols will be smashed”.
As a result of the arson, a monk and a staff member were hospitalized and treated for smoke inhalation. The fire damage was estimated at $1 million. The Israeli government contributed almost $400,000 for repairs.
A 23-year-old Israeli extremist was convicted of aggravated arson and two counts of criminal conspiracy for the attack in Dec. 2017.
In recent years Christians say they have been attacked by some groups of Israeli settlers in traditionally Christian regions, and attacks on Christians have also been documented in Jerusalem. Most of the Christians in Israel are Arabs.
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