Residents of West Bank’s last Christian village ‘living in fear’

Residents of Taybeh, the last entirely Christian village in the West Bank, are unable to harvest their olives for the fourth consecutive year because much of their land remains inaccessible. Palestinian Christian activist Ihab Hassan reported that while residents are restricted, Israeli settlers continue to move freely through the area.

The Israeli government declared Taybeh a closed military zone in August following months of settler attacks, stating the measure was intended to protect residents. However, Hassan said these restrictions apply only to Palestinians and prevent pilgrims, journalists, and outsiders from entering the village.

Bishop James Curry, the lead bishop for the Holy Land for the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, expressed alarm regarding the military zone designation. He noted that the ban threatens to cut off vital income from tourism and pilgrimages while reducing international scrutiny of the situation.