Taybeh: Christians in Taybeh, believed to be the last entirely Christian village in the West Bank, say they are living under growing fear as attacks by Israeli settlers become an increasingly regular part of daily life.
Father Bashar Fawadleh, the Latin parish priest of Christ the Redeemer Church, has spent the past five years serving the community. He says the situation has become so serious that some families are now considering leaving their homes and land because they no longer feel safe.
“Do not forget Taybeh. Taybeh must not vanish into silence,” Father Bashar said, appealing to the international community and Christians around the world to pay attention to what is happening in the village.
Taybeh has deep roots in Christian history. It is identified with Ephraim, a place mentioned in the Bible where Jesus and his disciples are believed to have sought refuge before his final journey to Jerusalem. For Palestinian Christians, the village is therefore more than a place to live. It is an important part of their religious and cultural history.
According to Father Bashar, a recent incident involved a home belonging to a family from his parish. The house had been prepared for the family to move in when settlers allegedly entered the property repeatedly over several days. Two settlers reportedly occupied the land, brought sheep close to the house and cut through the fencing.
The family was not at home during the latest intrusion and remained physically safe. But Father Bashar said the emotional impact has been severe. He described the distress of preparing a home for a family and then discovering that strangers had entered the property and were treating the land as their own.
He said the settlers later returned to the property and pitched tents there, adding to the family's fears about losing control of its land.
Father Bashar said the problem extends far beyond one family. Families living around the western, eastern and southern parts of Taybeh have also faced incidents of violence and intimidation. He said vacant land has repeatedly been set on fire and that a hillside southeast of the village was recently burned.
The priest said residents have also experienced damage to farmland, attacks on private property, road closures and restrictions on movement. He described the pressure as something that has intensified over recent months, with incursions and other incidents occurring almost every day.
The situation has left many residents feeling abandoned.
“We feel forgotten, and we feel entirely alone,” Father Bashar said.
He acknowledged that legal options are available, but said they often provide little protection and rarely lead to effective results. For that reason, he believes international pressure and a stronger presence from the outside world are urgently needed.
The Israeli military recently declared Taybeh closed to non residents, saying the measure was intended to protect people in the area after several violent attacks by Israelis. The restriction applies to Israelis and does not prevent Palestinians from entering the town, according to the military.
For Taybeh's Christian residents, however, security remains a major concern. Father Bashar fears that continued pressure could eventually force families to abandon their homes and land.
Despite the difficulties, he said faith remains a powerful source of strength for the community. With no clear political solution in sight, residents who remain in Taybeh continue to draw hope from their belief in Jesus Christ and their connection to the wider Church.
He appealed to Catholic dioceses around the world to speak about Taybeh and to pray for its people. He also called for greater support for the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and Christians throughout the Holy Land.
Father Bashar said visits by diplomatic missions and Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa have helped residents feel less isolated and have provided an important sense of security.
He also stressed that Christians from different traditions have come together during the crisis. Orthodox, Latin, Melkite and Greek Catholic communities have been working together to support affected families and protect vulnerable residents.
The Church, he said, is trying to strengthen solidarity within the village while also working with diplomatic representatives, international organizations and the media to make sure the situation is not ignored.
Father Bashar made a direct appeal to Pope Leo XIV, asking him to intervene on behalf of Taybeh and to help bring an end to attacks against the village and what he described as the occupation of Palestinian land.
“We simply want to live in peace, with justice and dignity,” he said.
For Palestinian Christians, Taybeh carries a significance that reaches far beyond its small population. It represents the continued presence of Christianity in the land where the faith began.
As preparations for the 2033 Jubilee approach, marking two thousand years since the time of Jesus Christ, Father Bashar believes the survival of Taybeh has become even more important.
He says the village must remain a living witness to Christianity in the Holy Land and that its people should not be forced to disappear from a place where their community has deep historical roots.
For the residents of Taybeh, the message is simple. They want to remain on their land, protect their homes and continue their Christian life without fear.
“The world must stand with Taybeh,” Father Bashar said.