Mordecai Vanunu's decision, the nuclear weapons spy, to give up accommodation in the exclusive project in Jaffa Gvat Adromada? and to move to Jerusalem after 18 years in prison is leaving the heads of the Anglican Church in town without much sleep. People who oppose Vanunu are confused about his residence. They are confusing the Anglican Church of St. George's Nablus Road with the other Anglican Church, Christ Church in Jaffa Gate. "I do not wish any harm to Vanunu but he has caused us a lot of damage. People are associating our church to him and they believe that we are against the Jews and against Israel." "On the contrary" reacted Rev Tony Higton, the Rector of the Church.

Since the day that Vanunu was released, many people come to the gates of Christ Church to ask to meet him and to argue against him and to protest against the approval of the church for him to stay in the place. Their protest becomes not important as said Vanunu is not staying there. Things came to a head when an unknown person desecrated the church by defecating on the altar under the image of the crucified Messiah.

A few weeks ago, Rev Higton decided to put an end to this mistake by starting a sharp campaign and to explain very clearly that Vanunu is not at home in his church. He has put notices around the church and put an ad in Yedidiot Achronot in which he denied any connection between the Anglican Church and Vanunu. "We wish to express disagreement with his comments against the State of Israel and against Judaism" the ad said.

The Victorian pastoral was damaged

18 years ago Vanunu, then as a Jew, knocked on the doors of the Anglican Church in Darwin, Australia and when he went in he met David Smith, then a trainee Priest who for 4 months introduced to him a new world and he connected him with Christianity.

During his long stay in jail, Vanunu did not desert his new religion and kept close contact with Smith. He corresponded with him and joined the Anglican Church. About a month ago, when he was released Vanunu went straight to the church of St. George's in Nablus Road where he was received with open arms.

Beyond the religious connection it seems that St. George's Church and Vanunu have a lot in common. The church have never hidden its pro-Palestinian position, and encouraged the revelation of the nuclear weapons secrets. It seems that the association between a respected church and a man in the media who have a liking for Vanunu hurt apparently the people of Christ Church.

When Christ Church was built in 1840, it was the first Protestant Church in the Land and the only one in the Ottoman Empire. The development of the Anglican stream in England in the beginning of the 18th century supported the return of the Jewish people to their Land in order to speed up the return of Messiah. The church has changed its appearance and became Anglican. As the time went on the church has developed and a school was built on the compound, hospital and a college for industry and the vicars started to teach the Jews about their religion. These days the heads of the church define it as reconciling between all the religions. They speak against anti-Semitism and they stress that the Christian roots are in Judaism.

Because of its specialty the Christ Church is conceived as a place where pilgrimage from all over the world stay side by side with its 20 permanent workers and a similar number of volunteers.

Rev Higton (61), who arrived from England about 2 years ago to head the church tried to explain why the pastoral care in the church was damaged, a church, which was built in the Victorian style in the Old City. "People started coming to the church and asked where is Vanunu and they blamed the church as if its supporting his ideas and giving him a shelter." Higton has expressed anger in a phone call from London where he is for the sake of running a campaign and he wishes to explain clearly: "Vanunu is not part of the church and he is only causing us damage. From the date it was built, 200 years ago and up until now, it was pro-Jewish and pro-Israel."

The Bishop of St George's objects


Joy Marsh who has been working in Christ Church for 12 years joins what Higton has said and adds that most of the workers feel that Vanunu's opinions are not part of the church. "We support Israel. Already when I came in 1992, I arrived in order to support and volunteer and improve the situation of Israel?, she said.

"St George's Church is a pro-Palestinian church which supports activities against Israel and is different from us" adds Higton "we are in an excellent relationship with the Jews and act to reconcile between all religions. We are ashamed of what was done by the church in the past where it attacked the Jews and was anti-Semitic. In my trip now, I am going through 10's of churches and I notice a strong enmity against the State of Israel. The British people who sit in their lounges and watch television are receiving one side only of the conflict and they believe that Israel is the aggressive one and the Palestinians are the weak and the poor. I am trying with all my power to weaken the anti-Israeli opinions and demolish the anti-Semitism. I try to explain about the war, which is going on and show both sides (opinions). The Anglican Church loves Israel and you could define us as Zionist Christian. Vanunu has actually converted to Christianity and belongs to the Anglican Church but his words against the Jewish Land and against Israel and against Judaism is humiliating and insulting."

The Bishop of St. George's Church Riah Abu El Assal who has been in his position for 6 years, objects to what the Christ Church people say and he cancels their right to belong to the Anglican stream. "Higton is not licensed and he is not recognized among the Anglican Church in Jerusalem," claims Abu El Assal. "In an ad that he advertised he tries to be provocative and acts irresponsibly. What he represents is not the opinion of the Anglicans. We have a special stream, which started in England, which is not Protestant and it is not Catholic. The duty of Christ Church is to convert Jewish people to Christianity. We have a different duty, to bring peace and partnership between people. Our political opinion differs. (Our political opinion is) there should be two states, one for the Palestinians and one for the Israelis with a power of the United Nations which will supervise. Vanunu is a member of the church and whatever he has done in the past was done and it is not important. We are against violence and enmity as such and we are for all the weapons of the world to be taken into pieces."


On the other hand, Haaretz reports that Shin Bet security service interrogators conducted a body and property search of the Anglican Bishop of Jerusalem, the Right Reverend Riah Abu El-Assal, in connection with the controversies surrounding freed nuclear whistle-blower Mordechai Vanunu.

The bishop said interrogators hinted that Vanunu should vacate the St. George Church in Jerusalem, where he has stayed since his release from prison on April 18. "Although they did not act in a vulgar manner, and offered me coffee, which I declined, it was humiliating," the bishop told Haaretz last night. He said he has written a report on the incident and will protest to President Moshe Katsav.

The interrogators wanted to know if Bishop El-Assal was involved in the interview initiated by British journalist Peter Hounam and facilitated by Israeli journalist and translator Yael Lotan.

The bishop said he was questioned at noon on Friday when he returned from a trip to Jordan. "First, they searched my body," he said, "then they photographed me and I was taken to a side room, where I was questioned." The questioning lasted about an hour and a half - he told Haaretz it was the first time he has been interrogated since he was appointed in 1996.

Bishop El-Assal gave the following account of some of the questioning:

Q. We know that Vanunu is with you.

A. "True, since April 21 he has received sanctuary in the church. I believe that Vanunu has the right to be free, and I have a duty toward him, like to other members of the community."

Q. What did you do in Jordan?

A. "I took part in the Hashemite Kingdom's Independence Day celebrations, and I dedicated a church school."

Q. Have you heard of Peter Hounam? Do you meet with journalists?

A. "Yes. Often."

Q. Have you met recently [with Hounam]?

A. "No."

Q. What about the recording [of the interview given by Vanunu]?

A. "I don't know anything about it. I was in Jordan...."

The Bishop told Haaretz that after he returned from Jordan, there was an envelope on his desk addressed to "Alexander." He told his secretary to wait for this person to come and pick up the envelope, which apparently contained the tape of the interview.

"I receive hundreds of letters and envelopes from visitors to the church, and it isn't my business to check their contents, if they are not addressed to me. I don't check them." The "Alexander" in question came a few days later, and picked up the envelope, the bishop said.

Asked if Vanunu's presence in the church has caused it any problems, El-Assal replied: "He doesn't cause any difficulty. You [Israelis] are turning him into a hero."