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Russia calls on the Israeli authorities to make sure that Christians and all other religious communities are equally protected under the law, including their places of worship and property, TASS reported on Wednesday, citing Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

She pointed out that the Russian Foreign Ministry drew attention to the conflict surrounding the so-called "Armenian Gardens," known as the "Cows' Garden" in the Old City of Jerusalem, which "became the subject of legal proceedings between the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem and one of the pro-settlement Israeli organizations." "Without waiting for the outcome of the litigation, its [Israeli] representatives began preparations for the construction of a hotel on the disputed site, which led to clashes between local Armenians and Jewish radicals," she said.

"We are extremely alarmed by the information about the increased provocative actions against representatives of the Christian community in Jerusalem," the diplomat emphasized.

"We call on the Israeli authorities to take measures to ensure a fair solution to this sensitive issue within the framework of the law," Zakharova pointed out. "We believe that the rights of all religious communities in the country should be protected equally. We oppose any illegal actions aimed at changing the historically established ethno-confessional balance in the Old City of Jerusalem, including encroachments on Christians who have lived there for centuries, their holy places and property," the spokeswoman concluded.