A centuries-old Christian community in the occupied West Bank faces a modern existential threat from regular violent harassment by Jewish settlers and an Israeli government that often turns a blind eye to their crimes. The fifth-century Church of St. George Al Khidr, a testament to the faith’s enduring presence, has been targeted by arson attacks and vandalism.
Settlers “feel that everything belongs to them,” says Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem. However, the Israeli government’s silence on their behavior emboldens them to continue their attacks. According to rights groups, settler violence targeting Palestinians has spiked to unusually high levels over the past several months.
The United Nations has reported more than 700 incidents just in the first half of this year, including 216 attacks by Israel settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank for the whole of 2023. Settlers often face little to no accountability for their actions, with only 3% of investigations leading to a conviction.
The Church of St. George Al Khidr is not targeted specifically because of its Christian identity, but rather as part of a larger effort to cleanse the West Bank of its non-Jewish population. The settlers’ strategy involves damaging Palestinian agriculture and inciting conflicts with residents to create a pretext for violence.
“This is not just about religion; it’s about land,” said Girgis Awad, a chicken farmer in Taybeh. “We are constantly exposed to situations that make difficult our movement and our daily life.”
The Christian minority in the West Bank faces an uncertain future as the settlers’ behavior continues to escalate.
Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/world/middle-east/israel-jewish-settlers-west-bank-attacks-christians-rcna218617