Christian Israelis called on Public Security Minister Omer Bar Lev, Defense Minister Benny Gantz and other officials to make sure the Christian community is protected ahead of the Easter holiday, after two deadly terrorist attacks were carried out by ISIS supporters in the space of a week.
"Against the background of the recent terrorist attacks and the awakening of cells of the terrorist organization ISIS, there is a fear that the organization's terrorists will mark churches and Christians as targets for attacks in the run-up to Easter and the events leading up to the holiday," read a letter sent to Israeli officials by the Jerusalemite Initiative.
"The past in Israel's neighboring countries has taught us that Christians and their symbols have been a target for the terrorist organization ISIS to the point of genocide recognized by the European Union," added the letter.
The Jerusalemite Initiative warned that harm to Christians in Israel during Easter would cause "great embarrassment and damage to the State of Israel."
"We turn to you to seriously consider the response that the defense establishment must give in order to provide maximum security to Christians and churches during this period and during the impending Easter," added the organization.
Police were placed on the highest level of alert across the country on Monday, a day after two ISIS-affiliated terrorists shot and killed Yazan Fallah and Shirel Aboukaret in Hadera.
The terrorists posted a video on Facebook before the attack, showing them swearing allegiance to ISIS. The terrorist movement published a statement on Sunday night, taking responsibility for the attack.
ISIS also claimed responsibility for a stabbing and ramming attack in which four Israelis were killed in Beersheba last week. The terrorist who conducted the attack had been arrested in the past for supporting ISIS.