Patriarchs and heads of churches in Jerusalem condemned the attack on the Christian community in Taybeh

The patriarchs and heads of the churches in Jerusalem have strongly condemned the attack on members of the Christian community in Taybeh on the West Bank of the Jordan River, which took place on October 17, 2026. According to the Orthodoxia News Agency, a group of masked armed men attacked civilians while they were harvesting olives.

The official statement emphasizes that not only local residents were targeted, but also foreign visitors, including diplomats and European officials who had come to the region to express solidarity with Palestinian farmers. Religious leaders note that this incident is not an isolated case but reflects a general trend of increasing violence in Palestinian villages, which intensifies particularly during the harvest season.

Church leaders are particularly alarmed by a recent decision allowing the confiscation of Palestinians’ olive harvests, which they have called “unjustified, extremely dangerous, and absolutely unacceptable.” At the same time, church representatives expressed their gratitude to Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog for condemning the attack and welcomed the police’s actions in detaining the suspects.

Despite the measures taken by law enforcement agencies, church leaders emphasize that the situation remains tense due to the attackers’ sense of impunity. In this regard, they called on the international community to strengthen protection for local residents and expressed their full support for the Taybeh community, emphasizing their intention to continue the fight to preserve the Christian presence in the region.

As a reminder, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously stated in his official Easter address that his country is the only state in the region that guarantees the safety of followers of Christ and protects their freedom of religion. The head of government emphasized the authorities’ intention to safeguard the rights of believers even amid a complex geopolitical situation and external threats.