Father Gabriel Nadaf, a Greek Orthodox priest from Nazareth and spiritual leader of a forum for the enlistment of Christian youth in the IDF, meeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Photo: Prime Minister's Office of Communication.

JNS.org – The son of Father Gabriel Nadaf, a Greek Orthodox priest who is a leading advocate of Christian enlistment in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), was attacked over the weekend. Father Nadaf said his pro-IDF stance motivated the attack on his son.

According to reports, Nadaf’s 17-year-old son was walking down a street when a 21-year-old political activist from a group that opposes Arab conscription hurled verbal insults at him and struck him with a stick. Nadaf’s son was briefly hospitalized.

“The Arab [Knesset] parties have been inciting against me ever since I started calling on Christians to join the military or participate in other forms of national service. The incitement turned from verbal threats to severe physical violence,” Father Nadaf said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the attack and vowed to protect anyone seeking to defend Israel.

“This is highly disturbing; I heard that there were physical attacks by extremists on Christians, Christian Arabs who want to enlist in the IDF and who want to be part of the State of Israel… this will not stand; I will not tolerate this,” Netanyahu said of the attack on Sunday, Israel Hayom reported.