Palestinians who invaded Jerusalem church file restraining order against pastor

Palestinians who took over a church in East Jerusalem has filed a restraining order against its pastor after they were expelled from the premises by Israeli police on Christmas Day.

The Palestinians, who claim ownership of the building, is currently in dispute with Karen Dunham, the pastor of Jerusalem Living Bread Church. They seized the building and claimed that the church has not paid rent.

Dunham said that she signed a 20-year lease in 2007 with an option to extend the lease for 10 years. In an interview with CBN, she said that the rent has been paid until next year.

In late November, the church was ransacked, and many of the valuables were stolen. Dunham found some of the church's belongings burning in the dumpster when she returned to the church the next day, according to Times of Israel.

The people who took over the property left guard dogs, and they also painted over the cross at the entrance. The front door and the exterior walls of the building were sprayed with the Arabic phrase for "God is Great."

The pastor said she and her staff had been attacked by the Palestinians over the past few years.

"About two years ago, they beat me until there was no breath left in me and left me for dead in front of the Church," she recounted.

In another incident, the attackers tried to gas them out of the building. Dunham said that some of her assailants threatened to cut off the heads of the two Jewish orphans who were living in the building. She stated that she has reported the attacks to the police in East Jerusalem, but no action was taken.

"In East Jerusalem, when we would go to make a police report, even the night everything was burning, we said they are robbing and burning our stuff, and they said call us tomorrow, we are busy," Dunham said.

Dunham considered it as a "Christmas miracle" when the East Jerusalem Chief Superintendent Nisso Guetta promised her that he "will do everything in his power to change the cesspool of violence and corruption" in the city.

"During nine years living in East Jerusalem, I've never seen someone react like this," said Dunham, referring to Guetta's dedication in helping to solve her case.

The pastor was able to return briefly to the church on Christmas Day with the help of the police. However, the Palestinians came back with a restraining order, temporarily banishing her from the property until the case is resolved in court.