Ambassador Tamer Almassri Condemns Desecration of Christian Icons; Slams Institutionalized Hate and Religious Persecution by Israeli Forces
By Desire Tshuma
Harare — Palestinian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Dr Tamer Almassri has condemned what he called “staggering barbarism” after footage emerged of an Israeli soldier destroying a statue of Jesus Christ in Lebanon with a sledgehammer, warning that the act reflects “institutionalized hatred” against Christians and Muslims in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza.
“The world has woken up to a display of staggering barbarism,” Ambassador Almassri said in a statement. “This act is not an isolated incident of vandalism. It is a visceral manifestation of the institutionalized hatred the apartheid State of Israel has fostered against other religions, specifically Christianity and Islam, especially in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza.”
The envoy said the destruction of the icon mirrors the daily experience of Palestinian worshippers. “This sacrilegious act mirrors the daily humiliations and persecution to which Palestinian worshippers are subjected,” he said. “As Israel aggressively pursues the Judaization of Jerusalem, it is systematically dismantling the historic Status Quo that has protected holy sites for centuries.”
Almassri pointed to incidents during Holy Saturday and Orthodox Easter as further evidence of violations against Christian and Muslim worship. “On Holy Saturday, Israeli security forces attacked and arrested Palestinian Christians who were attempting to reach the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a sacred site in Jerusalem,” he said. “The following day, Israeli fascist National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and his supporters stormed into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, performing prayers despite a ban on non-Muslim religious rituals at the site.”
“These actions demonstrate a clear and deliberate attempt by the Israeli government to impose its control over Muslim and Christian worship,” the ambassador added.
He argued that such incidents are not accidental but part of a pattern. “Israel’s actions are not merely occasional violations of the Status Quo, but rather a deliberate and systematic attempt to impose new rules that would subject Muslim and Christian worship to full Israeli control.”
“This is a clear and present danger to the freedom of worship in the Holy Land, and it is evident that Israel is not a reliable guarantor of this fundamental right,” Almassri said. “The country’s policies and actions have consistently demonstrated a blatant disregard for the rights and dignity of the Palestinian people, and its actions have been characterized by a consistent pattern of persecution, discrimination, and violence.”
The ambassador singled out Zimbabwe’s churches for their support. “In the face of these atrocities, Ambassador Almassri wishes to extend his deepest gratitude to the Zimbabwean churches for their unwavering solidarity, especially Archbishop Andby Makururu, whose vocal support for the Palestinian cause and consistent rebuking of Israeli actions against Christians and Muslims has been a beacon of moral clarity,” the statement read.
“The support of the Zimbabwean people remains a critical pillar in the global struggle for justice and the protection of the Holy Land.”
