Christian leaders have accused Israeli settlers of escalating attacks on sacred sites and Christian communities in the occupied West Bank, warning that the violence is pushing some Christians to consider leaving the region.
During a visit to the Christian town of Taybeh on Monday, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III said settlers had set a fire near a cemetery and a 5th-century church last week. He described the actions as a “direct and intentional threat” to both the local Christian community and the religious heritage of the area.
The patriarch also criticized Israeli police for failing to respond to emergency calls during the incidents. “We call for an immediate and transparent investigation into why these abhorrent actions continue to go unpunished,” he said at a press conference alongside other Jerusalem-based church leaders.
The visit included prayers led by church heads at the ruins of the ancient St. George Church, where residents shared their fears over growing insecurity. Church leaders noted that homes in the area had also been attacked.
Human rights groups like B’Tselem report a rise in settler violence since Israel’s war against Hamas began in Gaza in late 2023. Meanwhile, Israeli military operations in the West Bank have intensified. Palestinian sources say two men, including a U.S. citizen, were killed by settlers during a confrontation last Friday.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Roman Catholic Patriarch of Jerusalem, expressed concern over the long-term impact of the violence. “The temptation to emigrate is there because of the situation,” he said. “It’s hard to speak of hope and trust in the future, especially for the youth.”
An estimated 50,000 Christian Palestinians live in Jerusalem and the West Bank, home to many Christian holy sites, including Bethlehem. Approximately 700,000 Israeli settlers now live among 2.7 million Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem—territories occupied by Israel since the 1967 war and considered by Palestinians as part of their future state.
