The situation of the approximately 1,200 Christians who remain in Taybeh continues to deteriorate amid repeated incursions by Israeli settlers. The Israeli Army has declared the town and part of its surroundings a closed military zone for Israeli citizens until July 2027, a measure adopted in response to violent attacks recorded in the area and whose effectiveness has been questioned by the town’s Latin parish priest.
“We feel forgotten, we feel alone,” warned Father Bashar Fawadleh, parish priest of Christ the Redeemer, in statements to Vatican News. The priest maintains that insecurity is leading Taybeh residents to consider abandoning their properties and has directly called for the intervention of Pope Leo XIV: “We want to live in peace, with justice and dignity.”
A closed military zone that does not stop the incursions
The Israeli military order, dated July 23, affects about 14 square kilometers comprising Taybeh and sectors of the neighboring towns of Dayr Jarir and Ramun. According to the KNA agency, the ban prevents Israelis who do not reside there from entering or remaining in the area and will remain in force until July 1, 2027.
The Israeli Army has justified the measure due to violent attacks by settlers. The restriction does not affect Palestinians and also includes exceptions for journalists under certain conditions.
Fawadleh, however, questions whether the closure is guaranteeing the population’s security. The priest claims that, despite the order, Israeli settlers continue to enter the area accompanied by their flocks and believes there are other means to provide effective protection to the inhabitants.
Tensions have intensified in recent months. Palestinian sources counted at least eleven incidents involving settlers in the Taybeh area during July.
Christian families under increasing pressure
One of the latest episodes affects a family from the Christ the Redeemer parish. Fawadleh told Vatican media that two settlers repeatedly entered a home newly prepared for habitation, cut its fence, and introduced a flock of sheep onto the property.
The parish priest also denounces land fires, damage to agricultural lands, incursions into private properties, and circulation difficulties. In his view, these episodes are creating a climate of fear that threatens the permanence of Christian families.
“We need help to continue living here and bear witness to Jesus Christ and his disciples,” he states.
The priest maintains that possibilities for legal recourse are limited and calls for greater international involvement. He also highlights the importance for residents of the presence of diplomatic representatives and the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa.
“Taybeh must not disappear in silence”
Taybeh, located about 30 kilometers north of Jerusalem, is considered the last town in the West Bank whose population is entirely Christian. Traditionally identified with Ephraim in the Gospel of Saint John, it retains a special connection to Christ’s retreat with his disciples before the Passion.
Latin Christians, Melkite Greek Catholics, and Orthodox Christians coexist in the town, whose communities, according to Fawadleh, remain united amid growing insecurity.
The parish priest has asked the universal Church to pray for its inhabitants and make their situation visible. His appeal is also expressly directed at Leo XIV: “I would like to ask Pope Leo XIV to do something for this last Christian village in the West Bank, so that the settlers’ attacks cease and they stop occupying our lands.”
Fearing that more families will end up leaving, Fawadleh summarizes his plea in a warning: “Do not forget Taybeh! Taybeh must not disappear in silence.”