BREAKING News Outcry as Israel Closes the Last Christian Village in the West Bank - Vatican Releases Urgent Appeal from Taybeh Priest Amid Israeli Settlers' Attacks and Military Blockade

 "Do Not Forget Taybeh": Palestinian Christians Issue Urgent Appeal Amid Rising Settler Violence and new IDF Military blockade; Vatican News Interviewed the Catholic Priest who urges aid for the suffering Christians.

The mayor of Taybeh, a historic Christian-majority village in the occupied West Bank, has raised concerns over the Israeli military's decision to declare the area a "closed military zone." Mayor Suleiman Khoury warned that the move severely impacts the village’s economy and daily life for its residents. The Israeli military imposed the designation to block foreign nationals and Israeli citizens from entering. Many activists supporting Christians have noted that the blockage is actually hindering aid to the Palestinians.

Taybeh is one of the most prominent and  Palestinian Christian communities, renowned for its cultural heritage and local industries.

Data from the Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission highlights a sharp rise in violence across the West Bank, recording nearly 3,500 attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians and their property in the first half of the year alone. These incidents include physical assaults, land seizures, home burnings, and the destruction of agricultural property. Currently, an estimated 750,000 Israeli settlers reside in 156 settlements and 360 outposts across the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

TAYBEH, West Bank — Father Bashar Fawadleh, the Latin parish priest of Christ the Redeemer Church, warns that the relentless violence is pushing local families to a breaking point. "Do not forget Taybeh! Taybeh must not vanish into silence," Fr. Fawadleh urged in an interview with Vatican News.

The warning comes as the security situation degrades rapidly.

In a recent incident on August 5th, settlers repeatedly broke into a newly prepared family home, occupying the land, bringing livestock up to the doorstep, and pitching tents. Beyond individual property breaches, settlers have set fire to surrounding vacant land and hillsides.

In response to the escalating tension, the Israeli military designated Taybeh closed to non-residents, barring Israeli civilians from entering in an attempt to protect residents following "several violent attacks by Israelis in the region."

Despite international diplomatic visits—including from Cardinal Pizzaballa—the local population feels increasingly abandoned.

"We feel forgotten, and we feel entirely alone," Fr. Fawadleh shared. "Legal options exist, but they are very limited and rarely effective. Preserving the Christian presence here is a shared responsibility."

Faced with severe travel restrictions and constant pressure, the village's diverse Christian denominations—Latin, Orthodox, Melkite, and Greek Catholic—have banded together in solidarity. Fr. Fawadleh appealed directly to global Church leadership and Catholic dioceses worldwide to raise awareness and pray for the community as it prepares for the 2033 Jubilee, marking 2,000 years since the time of Christ.

• Location: Taybeh, West Bank (Palestine’s last entirely Christian village).

• The Crisis: Escalating settler attacks, property destruction, land seizures, and arson are threatening the village's survival and pushing families to consider abandoning their land.

• Recent Incidents: Settlers repeatedly occupied a private family home, brought livestock onto the property, and torched nearby hillsides.

• Military Action: The Israeli military temporarily restricted Israeli civilians from entering Taybeh to curb violent attacks by Israelis in the area. However, this is actually preventing aid from international volunteer activists.

• Community Response: Despite limited legal recourse and feeling "forgotten," the local Christian denominations (Latin, Orthodox, Melkite, Greek Catholic) remain united.

• Key Appeal: Parish Priest Fr. Bashar Fawadleh is appealing to the global Church, international media, and world leaders for concrete civilian protection, prayer, and advocacy to preserve the historical Christian presence ahead of the 2033 Jubilee.

• Sources - https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2026-08/christians-abandoned-settler-violence-taybeh-bashar-fawadleh.html + https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/israeli-closure-of-christian-village-taybeh-harms-palestinians-livelihoods-mayor/4023308