Damage to cruciform tombstones at the Beit Jamal monastery in Israel. Photo: Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

JNS.org – A Catholic monastery near Beit Shemesh in Israel was vandalized for the second time in three years.

“Salesian fathers responsible for the monastery in Beit Jamal reported [on Saturday] that unknown persons desecrated their monastery’s cemetery,” the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said in a statement.

Monks discovered that dozens of cruciform tombstones were knocked over and destroyed last month.

“We condemn this incident and remind all that this is not the first of its kind committed in recent years, most of which remain registered as if committed by ‘unknown assailants,’” said the Latin Patriarchate, adding, “Therefore, we urge the police, in specific, and the Israeli authorities, in general, to invest every possible effort to bring those responsible for these desecrations to justice as soon as possible.