One of the most venerated Christian places of worship in the West Bank has been attacked by Jewish settlers.
The fifth-century Church of St. George in Taybeh was targeted in an arson attack on Monday, along with a separate blaze at a nearby Byzantine cemetery.
Taybeh—also known as Ephraim—is referenced in the Gospel of John as the place where Jesus retreated after the resurrection of Lazarus.
Priests from the town’s Latin, Greek Orthodox, and Melkite Catholic churches condemned the attacks. In a joint statement, Fathers Bashar Fawadleh, Jack Nobel Abed, and Daoud Khoury said:
"We raise our voices on behalf of the people of our town and our parishioners to strongly condemn the ongoing and grave series of attacks targeting Taybeh. These assaults threaten the security and stability of our town and aim to undermine the dignity of its residents and the sanctity of its sacred land.
"Were it not for the vigilance of local residents and the swift intervention of firefighting teams, the damage could have been far more catastrophic.
"As priests, we bear a pastoral and moral responsibility toward our community. We cannot remain silent in the face of these relentless attacks that threaten our very existence on this land. Taybeh’s wholly Christian population represents a unique presence in the region, a living testimony that dates back to the time of Christ. This enduring spiritual and cultural legacy, preserved faithfully by the people of Taybeh for generations, is now at serious risk of erosion and displacement due to the systematic targeting of land, sacred places, and the local community."
The priests are calling for an immediate investigation into the arson attacks and the broader assaults on property, farmland, and holy sites. They are urging both the international community and global Church leaders to send missions to document the growing number of incidents.
Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) also condemned the attacks, describing them as the latest in “a series of dangerous, systematic assaults” against the village’s land, sacred sites, and people. The group stated:
“These assaults represent not only a grave threat to its security but a direct effort to undermine the Christian presence in the Holy Land.”