Tommy Robinson schooled by social media over 'propaganda' tour in Jerusalem

British far-right and anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson is being schooled online for posting inaccurate information relating to one of Christianity’s holiest sites.

On Sunday, he shared on social media a video of him touring the grounds of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Christian quarter of Jerusalem, identified as the place of both the crucifixion and the tomb of Jesus of Nazareth, which he visited as a guest of the Israeli government.   

“You probably wouldn’t be able to visit this if this wasn’t under the control of the state of Israel,” Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon, says in the video. 

However, what Robinson failed to disclose in his vlog-like post, is that the church has survived - and been protected - under Muslim caliphs for centuries. 

Moreover, the 20cm-long iron key to the church has been entrusted to two Palestinian Muslim families in Jerusalem who have been opening and closing the church's doors and caring for the holy site for nearly 1,000 years. 

The keys to the church were handed to the Nuseibeh and Joudeh families by Sultan Salahuddin Ayyubi after he captured Jerusalem from the Crusaders in 1187 to maintain a neutral guardian over the space, which is shared by multiple Christian denominations.

Social media users stepped in to give Robinson a history lesson about this holy site, which welcomes thousands of pilgrims every year.

"The Church you visited, Tommy? Its keys are held by two Muslim families, the Nuseibehs and Joudehs, guardians since Saladin’s time in 1187," posted journalist Hala Jaber.

"Muslims protected Christianity’s holiest site for 900 years."

“The arrangement was made by Saladin in the 12th century and symbolizes Muslim-Christian coexistence,” another user said.

"Who preserved those Christian locations for centuries?" asked another user. "Israel's only 75 years old."

Several users accused him of spreading "propaganda" that whitewashes Israeli violence against Palestinians.

Treatment of Christians in Palestine

“We probably wouldn’t have freedom of religion for Christians here if it was in the hands of a caliphate… or Palestine or the Palestinian Authority or Hamas,” Robinson adds in his video. 

“It’s important that these historical religious sites are kept open and people have their freedom of religion."

Again, social media users highlighted that Robinson’s comments do not reflect the reality on the ground for Palestinian Christians.

Several users pointed to violence, harassment and intimidation from Israelis, enabled by authorities. 

"Stephen Yaxley-Lennon’s 'pilgrimage' lesson skipped about 1,400 years of history," posted one user.

"Under Stephen’s beloved regime, priests are spat on... and churches are desecrated by fanatics so if he really wants to see who destroyed Christian peace in the Holy Land, he should look at who holds the keys now… and who spits on those who still dare to carry them."

Last year, Palestinian Reverend Munther Isaac spoke about “very dark days, very difficult days,” for Palestinian Christians, since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza in October 2023. 

Attacks on Christians by Israeli settlers have also increased in this period.

Online, users pointed to Israeli attacks and destruction of Christian sites. 

The 5th-century Church of Saint Porphyrius in Gaza, one of Christianity’s oldest sites, was damaged during a deadly Israeli strike on the adjacent 141-year-old Ahli Baptist Hospital in October 2023. 

A Byzantine Church discovered in Jabaliya, an area of northern Gaza, in 1997, is believed to have been destroyed by Israeli forces.

In July, Israeli settlers burned the historic Church of Saint George in the Christian village of Taybeh in the occupied West Bank, along with its adjoining graveyard.

Delayed terror verdict

Robinson's visit has been particularly controversial as his verdict on a terrorism charge has been delayed due to the invitation from Israel's diaspora minister, Amichai Chikli, who described him as a "courageous leader on the front line against radical Islam".

Robinson has been accused of refusing to give police officers the passcode to unlock his phone when he was stopped at the Channel Tunnel in July last year, a criminal offence under Britain's counter-terrorism legislation.

Since 2003, he has received prison sentences and community orders for football brawling, travelling on another man's passport, mortgage fraud, possession of drugs, threatening behaviour, and breach of a court order, among other charges.

Robinson’s visit has been condemned by many, including organisations supportive of the state of Israel, like the Board of Deputies of British Jews (BoD) and the Jewish Leadership Council.

“Tommy Robinson is a thug who represents the very worst of Britain” the BoD wrote in an official statement on X.

Robinson said his visit was a "fact-finding mission” amidst a “a major propaganda campaign against the State of Israel and against Jews”.

He also claimed that Israel is not commiting a genocide in Gaza, and that he would tour a Palestinian refugee camp, as well as the occupied West Bank, which he referred to as Judea and Samaria, the Israeli name for the Palestinian territory.