Israeli police have apprehended an American tourist at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem for damaging valuable artworks. The incident, which occurred on Thursday, has raised concerns about the safety of Israel’s cultural heritage and the increase in attacks on cultural sites. The suspect, identified as a radical 40-year-old Jewish American tourist, defaced two second-century Roman statues. According to initial questioning, the suspect claimed that he considered the statues “idolatrous and contrary to the Torah.” However, the suspect’s lawyer, Nick Kaufman, denied any religious motivation behind his client’s actions.
Kaufman instead argued that his client suffers from a mental disorder known as the Jerusalem syndrome. This condition is believed to be caused by the religious allure of the city and often leads foreign visitors to believe they are biblical figures. The suspect has been ordered to undergo psychiatric evaluation, but his name has not been released due to a gag order.
The Israel Museum, known for its extensive collection of archaeology, fine arts, and Jewish art and life, described the vandalism as a “troubling and unusual event.” The museum expressed condemnation of all forms of violence and expressed hope that such incidents would not occur again. Photos released by the museum showed the damage done to the statues, including the knocked-off marble head of the goddess Athena and the shattered statue of a pagan deity. The museum is currently restoring the damaged artifacts but did not disclose their value or the cost of the destruction.
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The Israeli government has expressed alarm over the defacement, attributing it to Jewish iconoclasm and obedience to early prohibitions against idolatry. Eli Escusido, director of the Israel Antiquities Authority, called it a “shocking case of the destruction of cultural values” and expressed concern about the actions of religiously motivated extremists. This incident appears to be part of a series of attacks on historical objects in Jerusalem by Jewish individuals. In previous incidents, a Jewish American tourist damaged a statue of Jesus in the Old City, and Jewish teenagers defaced Christian tombstones in a prominent Jerusalem cemetery.
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