Siege of Taybeh: The Christian Bulwark of the West Bank

posted on: Aug 26, 2026

By: Connor J. Buss / Arab America Contributing Writer

The West Bank of Palestine has been the target of increasing harassment and violence from illegal Israeli settlers in the past few years. There were some who believed that such harassment and violence was solely targeted for Muslim communities in occupied regions. However, the Christian village of Taybeh has proven that Israeli attacks show no reservations.

Taybeh is a small village near the geographic center of the West Bank, population 1,340 (2017). Its history dates back to ~1500 B.C.E., where the village is mentioned as the Ophrah of Benjamin in the Hebrew Bible. In the New Testament, Taybeh is referred to as Ephraim, a town where Jesus and his disciples stayed after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. The village is one of twelve modern Palestinean towns with a Christian majority.

Since the Six-Day War in 1967, the village has been under Israeli occupation alongside much of the West Bank.

Invasion

Since July 2025, the village has been the victim of increasing and widespread Israeli settler attacks. Over the past months, there have been numerous local reports of Israeli settlers, some hardly even teenagers, coming to the village and stealing or setting aflame vacant and inhabited areas alike. Settlers come to the village carrying firearms and threatening residents at gunpoint.

Taybeh is surrounded by Israeli settlements to the east, west, and south. Many of the settlers come to the village with livestock and home items, under attempts to expand the neighbouring settlements. Homes are seized, fences are torn down, and families return to their houses only to find aggressive settlers occupying living spaces.

For the Palestinians, there is little that can be done to fight back. Residents can hardly resist within the law, as many legal institutions are heavily influenced if not controlled by Israel. Physical confrontations are impossible under threat of either being shot or being heavily persecuted.

Many Palestinian families have purchased fire extinguishers for fires started by Israeli settlers. One resident noted that firefighting services do not reliably serve the village, saying “Civil defense – when did they even show up? After everything was already over.” Some have adopted guard dogs or kept people awake to keep watch at night.

Interview

In an interview with Vatican News, Father Bashar Fawadleh of Taybeh explained the situation. He described the Israeli invasion creating a “climate of fear” for residents in daily life.

“Imagine preparing a home for your family, only to find out that strangers have been trespassing and occupying it at will. That is the reality we are living here in Taybeh. In fact, as I speak to you right now, those same settlers have returned to pitch tents on the property. It is an incredibly difficult situation to endure,” Fawadleh told Vatican News.

“Many families across the west, east, and south of Taybeh are suffering from this settler violence. As they always do, they have been setting fire to vacant land. Most recently, they torched a hillside southeast of the village. The Israeli settlers come to cause harm and occupy the land,”

“Over the last few months, the situation has deteriorated dramatically. Almost daily, we face incursions, attacks on private property, the destruction of farmland, road closures, travel restrictions, and relentless pressure on the population,”

“It is a vital, foundational symbol for everyone, especially as we prepare for the 2033 Jubilee, marking two millennia since Jesus Christ walked this earth. Taybeh stands on the front lines of preserving Christianity here in the Holy Land,”

“We feel forgotten, and we feel entirely alone. Legal options exist, but they are unfortunately very limited and rarely effective. That is why international presence and pressure are vital right now. We need concrete protection for civilians and genuine political will to bring an end to this violence.”

Israeli Response

In response to harassment and violence committed by Israeli settlers, the Israeli Defense Forces have closed off the village to non-residents and stationed military personnel nearby. Additionally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered that nearby settler outposts were to be evacuated. However, reported political pressure from military officials have blocked this order under “security concerns.”

“Upon receiving any report of violations of the order, IDF soldiers are dispatched to the area and operate to disperse the gatherings and detain suspects in order to protect the citizens of the area and to maintain order,” the military said in a statement.

According to the military, the order only applies to Israelis and not to Palestinians. A spokesperson said turning Taybeh into a closed military zone was “due to some violent attacks by Israelis in the region.”

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