The Head of the Sebastia Diocese of the Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem Archbishop Atallah Hanna was reportedly hospitalised yesterday after being poisoned by chemical substances, according to Quds TV.

Reports said the Archbishop was rushed to hospital after an Israeli gas canister was fired into his church in Jerusalem. He is expected to make a full recovery.

مصادر محلية: تعرض المطران الفلسطيني عطا الله حنا للتسمم بمادة كيماوية نقل على إثرها لإحدى مستشفيات القدس المحتلة pic.twitter.com/IqlLiUrg7E — Quds TV – قناة القدس (@QdsTvSat) December 18, 2019

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The outspoken Palestinian Christian leader has been a staunch critic of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians and its acts of aggression in neighbouring Lebanon and Syria.

#Israel Tried to Assassinate Him In a fresh #Israeli assassination attempt, Archbishop of Sebastia for Greek Orthodox in #Palestine Atallah Hanna was hospitalized today for suffering of a temporary paralysis after being poisoned by #Israel in his church in #Jerusalem pic.twitter.com/Koqtf0wqvw — realSeifBitar (@BitarReal) December 19, 2019

Hanna was a notable attendee at last month’s First international Conference on Israeli Apartheid held at Istanbul. “The occupation in Jerusalem is treating us as if we are guests and foreigners in our own city. This is the embodiment of apartheid policies and practices against our people in Jerusalem specifically and in Palestine more generally,” he told MEMO in an exclusive interview.

Hanna: Christians must defend Palestine