Judge cites religious hatred as suspect in Maronite Nahariya church vandalism remains jailed

The Krayot Magistrate's Court extended the detention of a suspect for three days over the vandalism of a Maronite Christian prayer hall in Nahariya, with Judge Orit Kantor citing strong evidence and suspected religious hatred. The incident occurred on November 1, when worshippers found broken statues and defaced pictures. A note asking for forgiveness was left on the altar.

The Krayot Magistrate's Court extended the detention of a suspect identified as Keren for three days over the vandalism of a Maronite Christian prayer hall in Nahariya. Judge Orit Kantor ruled that the alleged religious hatred behind the offenses heightened their severity. The decision was reached by agreement between the Nahariya police and the suspect's attorney from the Public Defender's Office. The judge stated there were reasonable grounds to suspect the suspect committed the offenses and that the suspicion was strong. The incident occurred on November 1, when worshippers discovered broken statues and defaced pictures. A note written in English asking for forgiveness was left on the altar. The Maronite community, numbering about 1,100 people, condemned the vandalism. The eparchy in Haifa called on authorities to investigate and protect the site. The suspect is scheduled to appear before a judge again on Thursday.