West Bank Christians condemn Israeli demolitions and displacement as ‘blatant violations’ of international law

The Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine expressed deep concern over the recent demolition of a Christian family’s home in the West Bank by Israeli authorities and the displacement of another family from the Christian-majority village of Taybeh. The committee, established by President Mahmoud Abbas in 2012, described these actions as “a blatant violation of international law” and part of a broader policy targeting Palestinians, their land, and their property.

The family of Bashir Naeem Kouna, who was forced to leave Taybeh after threats from illegal Israeli settlers, had recently invested US$300,000 in renovating their home. They had only been living there for a week before the demolition. The committee emphasized that such policies of demolition, land and property seizure, and forced displacement would not succeed in uprooting the Palestinian people from their land or erasing its history.

Concerns over the Christian presence in the Holy Land have been growing, particularly in the West Bank, where settler encroachments pose a threat to communities. On 9 August, the Israel Defence Forces declared Taybeh, the last Christian-majority settlement in the region, a closed military zone due to “some violent attacks by Israelis in the region.” This measure barred non-Palestinians from entering the area, raising fears about the future of the village and its Christian community.

International criticism of the closure has been mounting. Bishop James Curry, an auxiliary in the Archdiocese of Westminster and leader of the Holy Land affairs for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, warned that the move would lead to a “vital loss of income from tourism and pilgrimages.” He called for the Israeli government to protect legitimate communities from settler violence while allowing citizens to conduct their normal activities.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, visited Taybeh on the Feast of the Assumption on 15 August. During a Mass at the Church of Christ the Redeemer, he encouraged the community to remain steadfast as a Christian voice in a complex situation. “I may not have answers at the human and worldly level, but I believe in God,” he said. “And I am certain that, in Him, we can continue to give birth to life, even here in Taybeh.”

The next day, Pope Francis appealed “for an end to the ongoing violence against the Palestinian civilian population in the West Bank” and called on the international community to work toward advancing the two-state solution. His appeal underscores the moral and spiritual dimensions of the conflict, aligning with the biblical call to seek peace and justice for all people.

Source: Read the original report