In Taybeh, one of the few majority-Christian Palestinian towns in the occupied West Bank, local officials and clergy say rising attacks by Israeli settlers on farmland and property are fueling emigration fears and threatening the town’s historic Christian presence amid deteriorating living and economic conditions.
Located east of Ramallah, Taybeh is one of the few Palestinian towns in the West Bank that still has a Christian majority, according to church and local accounts. Residents say the town’s Christian roots go back thousands of years.
Residents say the attacks have deepened fears in the town, even as they stress their determination to remain on their land.
In recent years, Israeli occupiers have established several illegal settlement outposts around Taybeh, the latest in April. The town is now surrounded by several illegal settlements and pastoral outposts where occupiers from the right-wing Hilltop Youth group are active.
Occupier attacks on Taybeh and nearby Bedouin communities have included burning vehicles, stealing sheep and blocking access to farmland, residents said.
