Christian leaders on Monday condemned a series of violent attacks by Israeli settlers targeting sacred sites in the occupied West Bank, warning that the escalating hostility is prompting some Christians to consider leaving the region.
Speaking in the Christian town of Taybeh, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III said settlers had ignited a fire last week near a local cemetery and the ruins of a 5th-century church.
“These actions pose a direct and deliberate threat not only to our local community but also to our historical and religious heritage,” Theophilos said at a press briefing alongside fellow Jerusalem-based church leaders, diplomats, and journalists.
He further alleged that settlers had attacked homes in the area and criticised Israeli authorities for their inaction.
“We demand an immediate and transparent investigation into why Israeli police failed to respond to emergency calls and why such heinous acts continue with impunity,” he said.
The Israeli government did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Officials have previously stated that violence by civilians is unacceptable and that no one should take the law into their own hands.
During the visit, church leaders led prayers in the ruins of St. George’s Church, with candles glowing among the ancient stones. Locals shared stories of fear and frustration as they described the recent settler attacks.
Human rights organisations, including B’Tselem, report a surge in settler violence in the West Bank since Israel’s war with Hamas erupted in Gaza in late 2023. While dozens of Israelis have died in Palestinian attacks over the years, Israeli military raids in the West Bank have also intensified.
On Friday, two Palestinians, including a U.S. citizen, were reportedly killed by settlers during a confrontation, according to Palestinian health authorities and eyewitnesses.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Roman Catholic Patriarch of Jerusalem, said growing insecurity is causing many Christians to consider emigration.
“Sadly, the temptation to leave is strong because of the ongoing situation,” he said. “It’s increasingly difficult to offer young people hope or a sense of the future here.”
Roughly 50,000 Christian Palestinians remain in Jerusalem and the West Bank, home to many of Christianity’s most revered sites, including Bethlehem, traditionally recognised as the birthplace of Jesus.
Today, around 700,000 Israeli settlers live among 2.7 million Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, territories captured by Israel in the 1967 war and widely considered by Palestinians to be part of their future state.
Reuters/s.s