Greek Orthodox Compound in Jerusalem Vandalized

Photo by Salih Zeki Fazlioglu/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images(JERUSALEM) — A Greek Orthodox seminary on Mount Zion in Jerusalem was vandalized on Thursday morning with nationalist and racist graffiti  painted on the walls and a fire believed to have been set intentionally.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said in a press release that “it is inconceivable that an act like this could happen in a house of prayer.” Calling the incident “a heinous crime.” He added that those who took part in the crime “not only threaten to set fire to places of worship holy to all of us, but ignite the regional powder keg upon which we all sit.”

Rivlin also spoke of the obligation to protect and conserve holy sites. “We cannot allow such attacks to sabotage the common fabric of our lives here,” he said, “we all have a responsibility to put an end to these terrible acts.”

Rivlin spoke with Patriarch Theophilos III of the seminary on Thursday.

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat posted to Twitter on Thursday, condemning the attack and making a call to “eradicate this behavior & restore peace & coexistence in #Jerusalem.”

I vigorously condemned the arson at the seminar this morning. We must eradicate this behavior & restore peace & coexistence in #Jerusalem.

— Mayor Nir Barkat (@NirBarkat) February 26, 2015

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