Arson suspected at Church of Loaves and Fish in northern Israel

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A nun inspects the damage at a room located on the complex of the Church of the Multiplication
A nun inspects the damage at a room located on the complex of the Church of the Multiplication, June 18, 2015.Photo by AFP


A fire broke out late Wednesday night to put out a fire at the historic Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fish at Tabgha, located on the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel. Sixteen yeshiva students were arrested Thursday morning over suspected involvement in the arson.
The detained youths reportedly are residents of the West Bank and are being represented by the right-wing Honenu legal rights organization.
Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan denounced the attack as an "act of lowly cowardice which I fiercely condemn." He ordered the northern district police to make investigation of this incident a top priority, adding: "We will not let anyone disrupt the coexistence between religions and ethnicities in Israel. Harming the principle of tolerance between religions is a blow to the most crucial values in Israel, and we will show zero tolerance for act like these."
The Catholic Church in Israel told Haaretz that they saw this attack as a continuation of the aggression against holy Christian sites over the last few years, which it said the Israeli government and authorities have failed to deal with accordingly. A report on the matter has been given to the Vatican, the sources said.
Graffiti was found on site, reading "False idols will be smashed." The storage room and church offices were damaged, and the prayer room suffered from light damage due to smoke. Firefighters worked from 3:50 A.M. to put out the blaze.
Officials said that two are lightly injured from smoke inhalation, but the fire is completely contained.
Authorities are investigating possible causes for the fire, including arson.
The church is believed to be the site where Jesus fed throngs after loaves and fishes miraculously multiplied, and is home to renowned, eye-catching mosaics.
German Ambassador Andreas Michaelis went to the church following the attacks, and said he was disgusted by the act of arson. He called on Israel to ensure that religions institutions remain protected and that incidents like this do not happen again.
Graffiti near the Church of the Multiplication in northern Israel reading "And false idols will be smashed." (Credit: Israel Fire and Rescue Services)
Fire damage at the historic Church of the Multiplication in northern Israel, June 18, 2015. (Credit: Israel Fire and Rescue Services)

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