Jerusalem's Armenian Neighborhoods Are on the Path to Jewish Shrines: Why Are Jewish Extremists Targeting Armenians?

“The Armenian neighborhoods of Jerusalem are on the path to Jewish shrines, which is why Armenians are among the first to feel the consequences of the extremists' activity—attacks, hooliganistic acts,” said Vigen Demirchyan, a member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation's Committee on Armenian Issues in Jerusalem, in an interview with “P astinfo”.

Extremists have become more aggressive since Benjamin Netanyahu formed a coalition after the elections in Israel three years ago. “Three years ago, neither the left-wing parties nor the centrists wanted to form a coalition with Benjamin Netanyahu, so he created a coalition with extreme right-wingers. After that, everything changed and intolerance and manifestations of hatred began. They consider all of Jerusalem theirs and do not tolerate others—whether Armenian, Greek, Arab, or of other religions,” Demirchyan noted.

According to him, during Jewish national holidays, hundreds and thousands pass through, displaying hostility toward anything non-Jewish. The Armenian neighborhoods are right on that path and find themselves targeted by hatred. “They spit as they pass, shout, and already have weapons in their hands, which can be dangerous,” Demirchyan said.

Recently, an Armenian cafe was also attacked simply because the tricolor flag was displayed. They organized an attack and threatened to blow it up with a grenade, forcing the visitors to leave. According to our interlocutor, the goal was to intimidate the guests and the owner.

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