Taybeh, Cradle of Christian Faith in Ramallah, Threatened by Illegal Settlers

Earlier this week, Father Daoud Khoury of the Greek Orthodox Church, Father Jacques-Noble Abed of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, and Father Bashar Fawadleh of the Latin Church strongly condemned recent settler attacks, including an alleged arson incident near the historic Church of St. George ruins on July 9.

The joint statement, which The United Church of Canada amplifies, condemns settler violence in the town of Taybeh, the last remaining wholly Christian town in the Occupied West Bank and the cradle of the Christian faith.

The statement by the United Church follows:

The United Church of Canada condemns the attacks on the people, religious sites, and livelihoods of Taybeh by Israeli settlers, all of whom are illegal under international law. Taybeh—known in the Gospel as "Ephraim," the place to which Jesus withdrew before His Passion (John 11:54)—is the last remaining wholly Christian town in the occupied West Bank. Like all Palestinian Christians in the Holy Land and in the diaspora, its inhabitants are the Living Stones of Christianity in the cradle of our faith; through their existence and daily lives, they witness to the indigenous Christian presence in Palestine and Israel.

We amplify the statement of July 8, 2025, issued to the global ecumenical family and the world by the Priests of the Churches of Taybeh-Ramallah/Palestine, “Regarding the Repeated Attacks by Settlers on Land, Holy Sites, and Property.”

People of the United Church are encouraged to call their MP, urging them to pressure Prime Minister Mark Carney to uphold the religious freedom and other human rights of Palestinians resisting their forced displacement and dispossession at the hands of illegal settlers and the Israeli government. Demand that Canada take immediate and decisive action to protect the Palestinian community of Taybeh.

Please refer to the demands of the Christian community of Taybeh when you call or write your MP:

“We call upon local and international actors—especially consuls, ambassadors, and church representatives around the world—to take the following actions:

1. Launch an immediate and transparent investigation into the incidents of arson and the ongoing assaults on property, agricultural land, and holy sites.
2. Apply diplomatic pressure on the occupying authorities to halt settler actions and prevent them from entering or grazing in Taybeh's lands.
3. Dispatch international and church delegations to conduct field visits, document the damages, and bear witness to the deteriorating reality on the ground.
4. Support the people of Taybeh through economic and agricultural initiatives, and strengthen their resilience with effective legal accompaniment.”

Our prayers and actions for justice are always intertwined, and so we join in prayer with the people of Taybeh who have said, “Yet we remain steadfast in our shared faith and hope that truth and justice will ultimately prevail.”

Please see the Downloads section below for the full statement from the Christian community of Taybeh, as well as other messages the United Church has received from partners in Palestine and Israel.