Vatican City: Bishop Jamal Daibes, Bishop of Djibouti and Apostolic Administrator of Somalia, has called for stronger international and diplomatic pressure to protect Palestinians in the Holy Land and enable them to remain in their homeland with dignity, freedom and security.
Speaking in Rome after meeting Pope Leo XIV with members of the Conference of Latin Bishops of the Arab Regions, Daibes said attacks and violence were creating fear among Palestinians and encouraging some to consider leaving the land where Christians have lived since the earliest days of the Church.
Daibes, who was born in the West Bank town of Jenin and comes from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, said Palestinian Christians are suffering alongside the wider Palestinian population. He highlighted what he described as recent attacks on Christian villages and towns by settlers, which he said had added a new dimension to the situation.
He said attacks, destruction of homes, olive groves and farmland, together with economic and movement restrictions, were making it increasingly difficult for people to maintain their livelihoods and see a future in their homeland.
According to Daibes, the aim of the intimidation is to make Palestinians leave. He stressed that Christian communities, although small in number, need to remain in the Holy Land and live there freely and with dignity.
He also expressed concern about the growth of new settlements around Christian villages and towns and signs placed by settlers on roads carrying messages that there is no future in Palestine. He said such developments could deepen despair and encourage people to leave.
For Palestinian Christians, remaining in the Holy Land is closely connected to their history and identity. Daibes said they have lived there for centuries and want to continue their Christian presence as the “living stones of the Holy Land.”
Daibes also warned against using the Bible to justify violence. He said Palestinian Christians seek to present Scripture as the Word of God and as good news rather than as a justification for atrocities and violence against others. He described the use of religious ideas to justify violence as dangerous.
He urged Churches and the international community to show solidarity and take diplomatic action. While the Church continues supporting Christian communities, including those in Gaza, Daibes said pastoral closeness cannot replace political action and called for greater pressure to stop the attacks.
The meeting with Pope Leo XIV was also important for Daibes because the Pope reassured the bishops that Christians in the region are not alone. Daibes said the Pope encouraged them to return to their communities carrying the Gospel and hope and to convey that the universal Church is close to them.
The bishops who met the Pope serve communities across the Holy Land, the Middle East, the Gulf and the Horn of Africa. They share the experience of working in predominantly Muslim societies and accompanying people affected by war, migration and displacement.
Daibes also spoke about his responsibilities in Somalia and Djibouti. In Somalia, he said many people have been displaced by war, tensions and drought, while the Church, through Caritas Somalia, serves displaced communities. He expressed concern that the humanitarian crisis receives less international attention and assistance, saying that people in Somalia can feel forgotten.
In Djibouti, Caritas supports migrants, mainly from Ethiopia, including children living on the streets. The Church provides food, medicine, education and other basic assistance and helps some migrants who wish to return to Ethiopia to do so with dignity. Catholic schools have also operated in Djibouti since the 19th century.
Despite the small size of Christian communities in the region, Daibes said their mission remains important. He pointed to the experience of the early Church, saying that its beginnings in Jerusalem show that the importance of a Christian community is not determined simply by its numbers.
For Daibes, the future of the Holy Land remains central to the wider region. He said enabling people to remain in their homeland and live freely and with dignity is essential, while the continued Christian presence is also a form of witness.
He believes developments in Jerusalem and the Holy Land can have consequences far beyond the region. His appeal is therefore for international engagement that goes beyond expressions of concern and works to support peace, dignity and security for people living there.