Christian World | Jerusalem church leaders condemn a masked settler attack on Taybeh, a Christian village in the West Bank, and urge authorities to bring perpetrators to justice

ACW | October 22, 2026 — The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem condemned an attack by Israeli settlers on the Christian village of Taybeh in the occupied West Bank, in a statement published on Tuesday, October 20.

According to the church leaders, masked settlers attacked Taybeh residents during the olive harvest on Saturday, October 17, as well as foreign visitors, including European diplomats and officials. "This wild attack on the Christian village of Taybeh and against its peaceful population is not an isolated incident," the statement said.

The Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) reported that an American photographer was injured on October 16 while documenting olive harvesters near Taybeh and was taken to hospital. A French mayor said he was "violently attacked" and thrown to the ground while harvesting near Taybeh in solidarity.

The church leaders called a recent religious ruling permitting Jews to take Palestinians' olives "unfounded, very worrying and dangerous, and absolutely unacceptable." ACN attributed the ruling to Rabbi Dov Lior. The leaders welcomed its rejection by several rabbis and the condemnation of the attack by Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

According to ACN, Israeli authorities arrested several suspects on October 19. The church leaders welcomed the arrests but warned that "these attacks continue because of the impunity enjoyed by those who commit them," calling for consistent law enforcement.

Background: The church leaders say Palestinian villages in the West Bank have faced a wave of settler attacks in recent weeks, peaking during the olive harvest. Taybeh's parish priest, Father Bashar Fawadleh, told ACN that settlers still move freely even though the village has been declared a closed military zone.

Why it matters: ACN describes Taybeh as the last entirely Christian village in the West Bank. The church leaders urged the international community to do more to protect Taybeh and other West Bank communities, and pledged to work to preserve the Christian presence there, a direct freedom of religion or belief concern for small Christian communities.

ACW will continue to follow this story.

Sources: Vatican News — Church leaders in Jerusalem condemn recent attacks in Taybeh; Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) — Churches sound alarm after settlers target Christian village; Higher Presidential Committee of Church Affairs in Palestine — statement text

Photo: ACN, file photo of an earlier attack in Taybeh