The "Revolt" group, believed to have been behind the "price tag" attacks against non-Jews in Israel and the West Bank, was thought to have been largely dismantled by the security forces, but anti-Christian vandalism continues.

On Sunday morning, graffiti was found on the walls of the Dormition Abbey, a Benedictine monastery just outside Jerusalem's Old City.

Slogans scrawled on the stone included "Death to the Christian heretics enemies of Israel", "Christians to hell" and "The revenge of the people of Israel is coming".

The phrasing indicated that the perpetrators were religious Jews, possibly the "price tag" vigilantes who have carried out attacks on other churches and mosques in recent months.

Despite the Dormition Abbey attack, the Shin Bet security service believes that its widespread probe, coupled with dozens of administrative orders - under which activists have been arrested and had their movements restricted - has succeeded in dispersing the nucleus of the "Revolt" group.

Last month, two of its members were charged with carrying out the arson attack in the village of Duma, in which three members of a Palestinian family were murdered.