A senior Catholic bishop has spoken out against the “intimidation and violence” faced by the only Christian village in the West Bank, after it was threatened by Israeli settlers.
Residents in Taybeh reported that an outpost was established on their land on 7th May, with settlers storming the area and threatening to kill those who attempted to return to their property.
It is the latest in a series of attacks in the town. In July last year, there were two violent incidents in which vehicles were set ablaze and the fifth century church set on fire.
The parish priest, Fr Bashar Fawadleh, told Vatican Radio in March that there had been repeated attacks on houses, with military barriers and checkpoints having been introduced. He said the quarry and concrete plant had been raided with settlers raising flags, returning in the days after for prayers.
Bishop Jim Curry, the Lead Bishop for the Holy Land for the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, said the recent attack “highlights the continued plight of the Christians, and their neighbours, who belong to the land and only wish to live in peace with dignity.”
He has called for prayers and “concrete action” to end violence in Taybeh, where he celebrated mass with the parish community earlier this year.
Bishop Jim said: “This is not an isolated incident but part of a wider pattern of intimidation and violence that too often goes unaddressed. The danger is that such violence only deepens division and makes the prospect of peace and security unattainable.
“It is easy to feel helpless and not know what to do in the face of these repeated attacks, but we must not be discouraged. Prayers and words of concern are important, they need also to be accompanied by concrete action. One such action is solidarity through encounter”, he said.
Bishop Jim added that the Bishops’ Conference have repeatedly raised the issue with the British government, adding that he urges those in power to “to do everything possible to prevent further violence and uphold the dignity and rights of all people in the Holy Land.”
Israel’s government had previously said that any acts of violence by civilians are unacceptable and that individuals should not take the law into their own hands.
The expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank in recent months has been approved by Israeli officials, with defence minister Israel Katz believing it “prevents the establishment of a Palestinian state that would endanger Israel”.