Bethlehem priest warns settler violence and evangelical support threaten Palestinian Christian communities

Father Munther Isaac, director of the Bethlehem Institute for Peace and Justice, has expressed concern that the future of Palestinian Christian communities in the Holy Land is threatened by both the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine and the actions of some fellow Christian supporters. Isaac, who was born in Beit Sahour near Bethlehem, noted that he can no longer walk a few kilometers from his home in Bethlehem to the ancient churches, temples, and mosques in Jerusalem due to the spread of Jewish settlements and the presence of a 26-foot-high separation wall that rings the West Bank.

Isaac stated that Christians in Jerusalem face verbal and physical attacks almost daily, but argued that the existence and experience of Palestinian believers remain largely invisible to American evangelical supporters of the return of the Holy Land to the Jewish people. He urged outsiders to “come and see” the reality on the ground, a message echoed by Father Bashar Fawadleh of Taybeh, described as the last fully Christian town in the occupied West Bank.

Fawadleh reported that more than 90 people have left Taybeh, also known as Ephraim in the Gospel of John, in the last three years. The town, which now has about 1,200 residents, faces the threat of further population decline. He noted that parishioners are afraid to harvest from their olive groves due to the security situation.

Rodlan Basir, who operates a cement plant near Taybeh, stated that his facility is attacked by settlers almost daily. He said, “If I had the opportunity to leave, I would leave this town, because there is no future for me or my children.” These accounts highlight the daily pressures faced by residents in areas affected by settlement expansion.

The source notes that Israel has intensified support for construction on Palestinian lands over the past year, which has forced many Muslims to relocate and further divided the approximately 50,000 Christians living in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. Christian leaders have raised concerns about the moral and financial support for settlement growth, noting that many supporters of “Christian Zionism” back this policy.

In January, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem issued a statement describing “Christian Zionism” as a “harmful” ideology. The situation in Bethlehem and the West Bank reflects a broader tension between religious heritage and political realities, where the physical presence of Christian communities is increasingly challenged by settlement activity and security restrictions.

The resilience of these communities in the face of displacement and daily harassment underscores the importance of public witness and accountability. As Psalm 122:6 calls for peace to Jerusalem, the current conditions in the Holy Land highlight the urgent need for justice and care for those whose homes and livelihoods are being eroded. The visibility of Palestinian Christian suffering, as urged by Isaac and Fawadleh, serves as a call to recognize the human cost of political and religious ideologies that prioritize expansion over the well-being of neighbors.

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