A Jerusalem court has ruled that 36-year-old Yona Schreiber, who was filmed attacking a French Catholic nun in the Old City in April, was not criminally responsible for his actions because he was experiencing a psychotic state at the time. CCTV footage showed Schreiber approaching the nun from behind, pushing her to the ground and later returning to kick her. She struck her head and suffered injuries to her face and leg. Schreiber had been charged with assault motivated by hostility towards a religious group, but Judge Ofir Tishler accepted the district psychiatrist’s assessment that he was psychotic when the attack occurred. Rather than imposing a prison sentence, the court ordered him to be committed to a psychiatric facility for up to six years.
The assault prompted widespread condemnation. The French Consulate in Jerusalem denounced the attack, while Israel’s Foreign Ministry said such violence contradicted the country’s commitment to religious freedom and coexistence. The case has renewed attention on harassment of Christian clergy and pilgrims in Jerusalem, where recent years have seen incidents involving spitting, verbal abuse and vandalism of church property by Jewish extremists. The Jerusalem-based Rossing Center’s 2025 report also documented continuing concern over harassment and violence directed at Christian communities. Israeli authorities maintain that they are committed to protecting freedom of worship and the safety of all religious communities in Jerusalem. Sources: Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court, Associated Press, The Times of Israel and the Rossing Center.
