Justice to a Clearly Unfit Attack — A Jerusalem magistrate court has ordered the psychiatric hospitalization of 36‑year‑old Yona Schreiber, after he pushed and kicked a French nun during a psychotic episode, an incident caught on CCTV in East Jerusalem’s Old City. The video showed Schreiber yanked the nun from behind, causing her to fall and hit a stone block. The case, which sparked widespread condemnation, highlights a worrying rise behind attacks on Christian clergy in the area.
The court found Schreiber was not criminally responsible for his actions, citing a court psychiatrist’s report that “he was in a psychotic state at the time of the act and is not substantively fit to stand trial.” The prosecutor accepted the opinion and requested his acquittal, while the judge only confirmed his legal responsibility, order in which Schreiber should be sent to a psychiatric facility for up to six years.
The French Consulate in Jerusalem issued a statement condemning the assault and describing it as a “shameful act” that contradicts Israel’s commitment to religious freedom and coexistence. The director of the French Biblical and Archaeological School, where the nun worked as a researcher, referred to the incident as a “sectarian violence”.
While the court’s decision focused on mental health rather than punishment, it has highlighted the growing concern around extremist behaviour towards Christian worshippers. In recent years, reports from the Rossing Center and other local organisations have warned of a “recent surge in overt animosity towards Christianity”, which the court’s ruling arguably underscores.
