Jaffa Clergy and Leaders Plan National Protest After Priest's Arrest

Leaders from Jaffa's Arab community, including clergy and public figures, met last night to discuss the alleged assault and arrest of Father Constantine Nassar, the Greek Orthodox priest in the city. The meeting, called by the "Association for the Care of Jaffa Arabs," was held to address the incident where Father Nassar claims police officers assaulted him and detained him after he intervened in the police's handling of local youth. Father Nassar recounted the incident in both Arabic and Hebrew, stating he was subjected to insults and sexual innuendo during his detention and was asked to strip before questioning, only being released after "high orders" were given. Participants at the meeting, which included representatives from Christian and Muslim religious institutions, as well as Jewish figures like Rabbi Professor Uri Lipsitz, expressed strong condemnation of the alleged police brutality. They described the act as "inhumane" and an "assault on human dignity." A smaller committee was formed to follow up on the meeting's resolutions. These include organizing a national demonstration on October 16, 2026, sending an urgent message to the President of Israel demanding condemnation of the assault, and pursuing legal action against the involved officers with the help of local and international human rights organizations. The police, in response to Father Nassar's account, stated that he arrived at a police activity in Jaffa, began cursing and harassing officers, and refused to leave the area when asked, leading to his arrest. They added that any complaints regarding police conduct would be investigated by the relevant authorities.