Cardinal Pizzaballa stood alongside the other church patriarchs today in the Christian village of Taybeh, in the West Bank.
The visit comes in response to a series of violent attacks by Israeli settlers on the village, including set fire to St. George Church and the Christian cemetery.
Part of their statment: "'Radical Israelis from nearby settlements intentionally set fire near the town’s cemetery and the Church of Saint George, which dates back to the 5th century. Taybeh is the last remaining all-Christian town in the West Bank. These actions are a direct and intentional threat to our local community first and foremost, but also to the historic and religious heritage of our ancestors and holy sites. In the face of such threats, the greatest act of bravery is to continue to call this your home. We stand with you, we support your resilience, and you have our prayers.
The Council of Patriarchs and Heads of Churches calls for these radicals to be held accountable by the Israeli authorities, who facilitate and enable their presence around Taybeh."
Fr. Bashar Fawadleh, the parish priest of the Church of Christ the Redeemer in Taybeh stated that more than 10 Christian families have already left the village due to fear of ongoing violence and harassment by settlers.
Statement of the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem during the Solidarity Visit to Taybeh
We, the Council of Patriarchs and Heads of Churches of Jerusalem, are here today in Taybeh in solidarity with the local community following an intensifying trend of systemic and targeted attacks against them and their presence. We ask for the prayers, attention, and action of the world, particularly that of Christians globally.
On Monday, 7 July 2025, radical Israelis from nearby settlements intentionally set fire near the town’s cemetery and the Church of Saint George, which dates back to the 5th century. Taybeh is the last remaining all-Christian town in the West Bank. These actions are a direct and intentional threat to our local community first and foremost, but also to the historic and religious heritage of our ancestors and holy sites. In the face of such threats, the greatest act of bravery is to continue to call this your home. We stand with you, we support your resilience, and you have our prayers.
We give thanks for the local residents
and firefighters for extinguishing the fire before our holy sites were
destroyed, but we join voices with the local priests - Greek Orthodox,
Latin, and Melkite Greek Catholic - issuing a clear plea for support in
the face of repeated, systematic attacks from these radicals, which are
only growing more frequent.
In recent months, the radicals have led
their cattle to graze on the farms of Christians on the east side of
Taybeh - the agricultural area - rendering them inaccessible at best but
at worst damaging the olive groves that families depend on. Last month,
several homes were attacked by these radicals, lighting fires and
erecting a billboard that said, translated into English, “there is no
future for you here”.
The Church has had a faithful presence
in this region for nearly 2,000 years. We firmly reject this message of
exclusion and reaffirm our commitment to a Holy Land that is a mosaic of
different faiths, living peacefully together in dignity and safety.... READ MORE https://www.lpj.org/en/news/statement-of-the-patriarchs-and-heads-of-the-churches-in-jerusalem-dur
