The Latin parish priest of the last entirely Christian village in the West Bank appealed for the solidarity of Christians worldwide in the face of new attacks by "fanatical Israeli settlers" seeking to displace the local population.
Father Bashar Fawadleh issued an appeal on Saturday, March 21, telling ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, that the lands seized this week by Israeli settlers "belonged to the people of Taybeh and were, moreover, our private property."
These incursions, he continued, in addition to constituting "a violation of international law and of the rights of the local community," represent an affront that, for the village's inhabitants, goes far beyond a mere legal or political matter.
"This story is about the life of a Christian community that has been present in this land for more than 2,000 years," Fawadleh said.
Taybeh is the modern name of the biblical village of Ephraim, where Jesus went to rest shortly before his passion (cf. John 11:54). In addition to being the only entirely Christian village in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and Gaza, it is also renowned for its beer.
In recent days, Israeli settlers have seized areas near the village's quarry and cement factory. These encroachments have been ongoing for some time. In July 2025, settlers set fire in the area near the ruins of St. George Church, built in the historic Byzantine style and dating back to the fifth century, where the local community typically holds religious celebrations.
Several vehicles were also set ablaze, and the attackers "painted hateful graffiti," according to sources in Taybeh. Christian leaders have demanded immediate action from Israeli authorities and called upon the international community to halt the escalating violence.
When asked what message he would like to send to Pope Leo XIV and to all Christians around the world, he said: "We ask not only for compassion, but for solidarity."
Fawadleh, whose mother was born in Venezuela but returned to the West Bank at the age of 16, told ACI Prensa: "As a church, our mission is to help people remain in their land, to live with dignity, and to keep the Christian presence alive in the Holy Land. Our presence here is a living testament to the roots of Christianity — where it all began."
According to the parish priest, "when the land is threatened, people become fearful." The local community simply wants "to live in peace, with dignity, and on our own land," he said, noting that the farmers of Taybeh are even afraid to go out to their fields.
"This is a matter that concerns the entire Church. We ask for your prayers, and for your visits to the Holy Land and to the 'living stones' in Taybeh and throughout the Holy Land," he said.
"And your support, so that Christians may remain here through education, housing, and employment opportunities. For the Christian presence in the Holy Land is not merely a local matter," he pointed out.
"For the truth is one; it is not a matter of distorting it. Thank you; we will remain in contact and united in prayer," the priest said.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
