Christian town in occupied West Bank under pressure as illegal Israeli settler attacks intensify
Residents say raids, land seizures and violence are transforming one of the West Bank’s last all-Christian communities into a flashpoint of fear and displacement.
Palestinian residents of Taibe, the only entirely Christian town in the occupied West Bank, say escalating attacks by illegal Israeli settlers are turning daily life into a constant struggle to remain on their land.
Once known for its calm and relative safety, the town east of Ramallah is now marked by growing violence, with settlers grazing livestock on privately owned Palestinian farmland and blocking access to fields long used for wheat, almonds and grapes.
Local officials warn the campaign amounts to sustained pressure aimed at forcing residents out.
“Everyone is targeted”
Acting mayor Khaldoun Hanna said the town’s roughly 1,500 residents face a “serious escalation,” stressing that the violence does not distinguish between communities.
“Everyone is targeted,” he said, adding that thousands of dunams of farmland have become inaccessible, while other lands are now used by settlers for grazing.
He blamed illegal Israeli settlers of seizing property, attacking homes and vehicles, and even taking over economic facilities, effectively cutting residents off from their livelihoods.
Land, faith and survival
Residents say the attacks have intensified since October 2023. Former mayor Suleiman Khoury described repeated assaults on his land, including uprooted almond trees, stolen equipment and livestock grazing through his vineyard.
“The land is precious to us,” he said. “If they take it, we will have nothing left.”
The town’s historic identity is also under strain. Taibe, traditionally believed to have sheltered Jesus Christ, has seen attacks on homes, vehicles and even parts of the historic Church of St. George, alongside racist graffiti.
The Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine has warned that such attacks threaten the continued Christian presence in the territory, urging international action to protect civilians.
Despite mounting pressure, residents insist they will not leave, framing their struggle as one of both survival and identity.