A French nun was violently assaulted by an Israeli settler in East Jerusalem’s Old City on April 27. A researcher at the Dominican-run biblical and archaeological institute, she suffered bruises to her head and other injuries after being thrown to the ground and kicked repeatedly by a 36-year-old male suspect, who was arrested the same night and is being questioned on suspicion of racist assault.
The attack occurred in front of the Cenacle, on Mount Zion close to King David’s Tomb, a site venerated by Christians as the location of the Upper Room of the Last Supper and by Jews as the traditional tomb of King David. The nun, affiliated with the École Biblique et Archéologique Française, was walking in the area when the man approached from behind, shoved her forcefully onto a rock or the pavement, causing her to strike her head, and then continued kicking her while she was on the ground. Bystanders, including two Israeli women and a man, intervened to stop the assault and assisted her as she fled towards Zion Gate; the attacker briefly pursued the group before withdrawing. She received medical attention for her injuries.
Fr Olivier Poquillon, director of the École Biblique, condemned the incident as an “unprovoked assault” and an act of “sectarian violence”. He provided a detailed account shortly after the event, noting that the sister felt someone come up behind her and throw her with full force. Israeli police confirmed the arrest of the 36-year-old suspect late on Tuesday night and stated they are treating the case with utmost severity, viewing any violence driven by potentially racist motives against members of the clergy as particularly grave.
The Israel Foreign Ministry issued a strong statement on X on Wednesday, describing the attack as “despicable” and extending sympathies to the nun and solidarity with the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The ministry emphasised that Israel maintains a firm policy against violence, especially towards innocent individuals and members of religious communities, and reaffirmed its commitment to values of respect, coexistence, and religious freedom upon which the state was founded. It noted that police opened an immediate investigation and that the suspect remains in custody.
This incident occurs against a documented backdrop of repeated harassment, spitting, verbal abuse and physical attacks directed at Christian clergy, monks, nuns and pilgrims in Jerusalem’s Old City and surrounding areas, particularly those wearing distinctive religious habits.
Reports from Christian leaders and monitoring organisations have highlighted a pattern targeting visible symbols of the Faith in the vicinity of holy sites, raising concerns for the safety and free exercise of religious life in the places understood as sanctified by the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Palestinian sources and some international outlets have characterised the assailant as a settler or colonist, though Israeli police have not publicly confirmed the suspect’s background or ideological affiliation beyond the racist assault investigation.
The Latin Patriarchate and heads of the Churches in Jerusalem have long voiced alarm over the vulnerability of Christian communities and institutions in the Holy Land, where the Church has maintained an unbroken presence since apostolic times. Catholic tradition holds the Holy Land as the cradle of the Faith, and attacks on its consecrated Religious – especially women vowed to prayer and service – represent criminal violence and an affront to the sacred heritage entrusted to the universal Church.
As of Wednesday evening, April 29, 2026, the suspect remains in custody, the investigation continues, and no further charges or court appearances have been publicly detailed. The École Biblique has expressed hope that authorities will act with firmness and speed to uphold justice and deter further such acts.
