West Bank Christians Flee Israeli Settler Violence & Intimidation

Taybeh, a historic Christian town in the West Bank, is facing increasing pressure from Israeli settlers and fears for its long-term survival.

Ancient Roots Under Siege

Taybeh, known in ancient Greek as Ephraim, is one of the oldest Christian communities in the world. According to the gospels, Jesus hid with his disciples in the town before traveling to Jerusalem. A church was built there in the fifth century, and the community has endured centuries of conflict and rule by various empires, but residents say its future is now in question.

Settler Activity and Land Disputes

Four substantial Israeli settlements surround Taybeh, along with numerous unofficial outposts on the hills overlooking the Jordan Valley. These outposts are often populated by “hilltop youth,” who harass and intimidate local Palestinians. The relentless land grabs and intimidation are part of a pattern across the West Bank that the UN has labeled ethnic cleansing, driven by hardline members of the ruling coalition.

Father Bashar Fawadleh, the parish priest of Christ the Redeemer church, said Bedouin communities were driven out in recent years, replaced by settlers and their livestock. Settlers have been driving their cows and sheep into the olive groves and fields that have sustained Taybeh for millennia. For three years, local residents have been forbidden from tending their olive trees, venturing out only when accompanied by diplomats from the French and Italian consulates during the harvest season.

Escalating Violence and Legal Changes

In July of last year, settlers set fire to the grounds of the fifth-century Byzantine church, St Peter’s. Since then, the town has been raided four times, with settlers setting cars on fire, slashing tires, and smashing windows. On March 19, settlers took over a concrete factory and stone quarry on the edge of Taybeh, raising the Israeli flag and holding prayers.

In February, the Israeli security cabinet approved measures allowing Israelis to buy property in the occupied West Bank, a step toward potential annexation.

A Vulnerable Community

Taybeh’s unique identity as a completely Christian town offers some protection, such as diplomatic visits during harvest, but also makes the community more vulnerable. Western countries have generally been more welcoming to Palestinian Christians, making it easier for them to leave – and many are doing so. Fifteen families have left in the past two years, reducing the town’s population to about 1,100.

Controversial Diplomatic Response

Following the attack on St Peter’s church, U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee condemned the act as “an act of terror” and called for prosecutions. However, no prosecutions have been reported, and Huckabee has not publicly addressed subsequent attacks on Taybeh. He is a fervent supporter of Israel’s territorial claims, which he believes are divinely ordained.

Huckabee’s stance has drawn criticism, including from American Christians and commentator Tucker Carlson, who challenged the ambassador over the treatment of Palestinian Christians in a February interview.

Demographic Shifts and Rising Incidents

While the Christian population in Israel has grown to 184,000, the Christian population in the West Bank has shrunk from 5% in 1967 to roughly 1% today, about 45,000 people. The Religious Freedom Data Center, an Israeli organization, recorded a 65% rise in harassment cases against Christians in Jerusalem, many involving spitting.

The organization’s director, Yisca Harani, wrote that the rise in attacks is linked to “the national mood, the prevailing tensions, and the government’s backing which together foster a sense of superiority among Jews.”

Seeking Support and Facing an Uncertain Future

Israel has sought to court U.S. evangelicals, who, like Huckabee, support Israeli expansionism based on biblical teaching. The foreign ministry hosted over 1,000 evangelical pastors and Christian influencers on an all-expenses-paid trip in November. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Newsmax on Monday that “Israel is the only country in the Middle East and one of the few countries in the world that stands up for Christians.”

However, Haaretz newspaper argued that the government’s support for Christian groups is conditional on “loyalty to the political agenda of Netanyahu and his far-right coalition.” Jad Isaac, director general of the Applied Research Institute-Jerusalem, said Netanyahu is “a liar” when claiming to support Palestinian Christians in the West Bank, stating that “the strategy is to make life intolerable.”

A new Israeli settlement, Yatziv, has sprung up near Beit Sahour, further encroaching on Palestinian land. Palestinians in the area live increasingly enclosed lives, their movement controlled by the Israeli military. Rifat Kassis, a Beit Sahour community activist, fears the settlement will lead to daily harassment, shooting, and arrests, mirroring the situation in other parts of the West Bank. According to UN figures, there were 1,828 settler attacks on 270 Palestinian communities in 2025 – an average of five per day.

Kassis, a devout Christian, has not been allowed to visit Jerusalem for 35 years due to his participation in non-violent civil disobedience. Many residents have moved abroad seeking a viable future, and Kassis worries about the potential end of this ancient community. “We kept our existence…for the past 2,000 years,” he said. “But since the occupation the pressure imposed on us comes from all sides…Israel has managed to create an atmosphere where there is no hope.”