The priests of Taybeh’s three Christian communities — Greek Orthodox, Greek Catholic Melkite and Latin Churches — have issued a statement condemning the repeated and serious attacks against the Christian village of Taybeh in the strongest terms. Father Daoud Khoury (Greek Orthodox), Father Jack-Nobel Abed (Greek-Melkite Catholic) and Father Bashar Fawadleh (Roman Catholic) spoke out “on behalf of the residents of our town and our congregation”. In a joint statement, they condemned “the repeated and serious series of attacks against Taybeh in the strongest terms. These attacks not only pose a threat to the security and stability of our community – they write – they undermine the dignity of its residents and violate the sanctity of its holy land.” The priests were clearly referring to the attack of 7 July, when Israeli settlers deliberately set fire to the village cemetery and the ancient 5th-century Church of St George (Al-Khadr), one of the most ancient religious sites in Palestine. Previously, in spring 2024, incidents of settlers trespassing on agricultural property, vandalising planted fields, firing shots in the air, and illegally constructing settlement outposts had been reported, none of which were investigated by Israeli security forces.
Settler violations and provocations. “The residents’ surveillance and the firefighters’ timely intervention prevented a much more disastrous outcome”, reads the statement. “In a near-daily occurrence of provocation, settlers continue to graze their cattle on Taybeh’s farmland, including private fields near homes, without facing restrictions or intervention from the Israeli authorities. These violations,” denounced the three priests, “not only constitute provocation, but also directly damage olive trees, a vital source of livelihood and income for the village residents, and prevent farmers from accessing and cultivating their land.” According to the French edition of Terrasanta magazine (www.terresainte.net), the eastern part of Taybeh — covering more than half of the municipality where most agricultural activity is based — has become a target for illegal settlements that are expanding under military protection. “These outposts serve as a launchpad for further attacks on our land and our residents,” the three priests denounce, claiming that “silence is not an option in the face of these relentless attacks that threaten our very existence on our land”. Taybeh, known in the Gospel as the town of ‘Ephraim’, where Jesus withdrew before the Passion, is the last entirely Christian town in the West Bank, with a unique Christian presence in the region dating back to the time of Christ.”
“This spiritual and cultural heritage, lovingly preserved by the Taybeh community for generations, now faces the serious risk of being wiped out, with its inhabitants displaced, due to systematic attacks targeting its lands, holy sites and local community.”
The priests’ appeal. The three priests are therefore calling on local and international stakeholders, particularly consuls, ambassadors and church representatives around the world, to urgently conduct a transparent investigation into the arson attacks and repeated assaults on property, agricultural land and places of worship. They also call for diplomatic pressure to be exerted on the occupying authorities to immediately put an end to the settlers’ actions and prevent them from entering Taybeh or grazing their herds on its land. The priests call for international and religious delegations to visit the area, document the damage caused and bear witness to the deteriorating situation. Furthermore, they call for the inhabitants of Taybeh to be supported with economic and agricultural measures that will strengthen their resilience, alongside prompt legal assistance.
“The Holy Land cannot survive without its indigenous population.”.
“The expulsion of farmers from their land, the threats to their churches, and the encirclement of their villages are all wounds inflicted on the beating heart of this nation,” conclude the three parish priests. “Despite everything, we remain steadfast in our faith and hopeful that truth and justice will prevail.”
