Urgent appeal from last Christian town in West Bank, threatened by new illegal settlers

Fr Bashar Fawadleh, from Christ the Redeemer Parish in Taybeh, part of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, writes:

Since yesterday, groups of Israeli settlers (pictured) have been repeatedly observed on Jabal Al-Massis, an area belonging to the town of Taybeh, east of Ramallah. According to eyewitnesses and ongoing monitoring, their activities strongly suggest preparations for the establishment of a new illegal settlement outpost.

This development raises grave concern. It comes after months of escalating attacks against Taybeh, including arson, armed intimidation, assaults on farmers, and repeated attempts to prevent residents from accessing their agricultural lands.

Settlers have launched a series of raids across the Ramallah district. Armed settlers on ATVs targeted Taybeh's outskirts, setting fire to a residential building before fleeing. Additionally, reports from local officials indicated that settlers set fire to an entire mountain slope of agricultural land belonging to the town, while opening fire on homes to prevent residents from reaching the flames.

Taybeh, the last entirely Christian Palestinian town in the West Bank, is facing an unprecedented and systematic threat to its land, its people, and its historic Christian presence.

We urgently call upon diplomats, consuls, ambassadors, the United Nations, churches around the world, and all international organizations to take immediate action by monitoring the situation on the ground, visiting the area, and using all available diplomatic means to prevent the establishment of a new illegal settlement outpost.

Failure to act now risks creating irreversible facts on the ground, further escalating tensions and undermining the prospects for peace, justice, and the preservation of the Christian presence in the Holy Land.

The time to act is now. Prevent another illegal outpost before it becomes a permanent reality.