Israeli Court Acquits Settler in Assault on French Nun Citing Mental Illness

A Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court has acquitted Yona Simcha Schreiber, a Jewish settler from the West Bank settlement of Peduel, for the violent assault of a 48-year-old French Catholic nun in April 2026. While the court confirmed Schreiber committed the physical acts—pushing the nun to the ground and kicking her in the head near Mount Zion—it accepted psychiatric evaluations diagnosing him with active psychosis and schizophrenia. Consequently, he was found not legally responsible and ordered to undergo up to six years of involuntary psychiatric hospitalization. The incident is part of a documented surge in extremist attacks against Christian clergy and property in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

// Background

The acquittal comes amid a sharp increase in religious-motivated violence in occupied East Jerusalem. Christian leaders have reported frequent harassment, including spitting and vandalism of historic sites like the Protestant cemetery on Mount Zion. In 2025, the Rossing Centre documented 61 physical assaults and 52 attacks on church property, describing these figures as only the 'tip of the iceberg' regarding the intimidation of the Christian community.

// Key Developments

• Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court acquitted Yona Schreiber on grounds of mental illness and active psychosis.
• The assault occurred on April 28, 2026, near the Cenacle on Mount Zion, a site holy to both Christians and Jews.
• The victim, a French researcher at the School of Biblical and Archaeological Research, required medical treatment for head injuries.
• Schreiber was ordered to undergo up to six years of involuntary psychiatric hospitalization.
• The case highlights a rising trend of attacks on Christians, with 155 incidents recorded in 2025 by the Rossing Centre.