Jerusalem church leaders urge international community to protect Palestinians

JERUSALEM — Patriarchs and heads of churches in Jerusalem have condemned an attack by masked settlers on the Christian town of Taybeh, according to a statement published on 20 October 2026. The attack targeted residents during the olive harvest season, along with foreign guests, including diplomats and officials from European countries, who were taking part in a solidarity visit.

The statement said the attack on Taybeh and its peaceful residents was not an isolated incident. It pointed to continued assaults over recent weeks on Palestinian villages in the West Bank, which it said intensified during the olive harvest. The statement described the harvest as a source of income for Palestinian families and a link between residents and their land that has been passed down through generations.

The church leaders also expressed concern about a religious ruling that was published recently and that permits Jews to take olives from Palestinians. The statement described the ruling as baseless, alarming, dangerous and unacceptable. It welcomed the stance of several rabbis and Jewish voices who had publicly rejected it.

The statement called on the international community to protect Palestinians. The source material does not say which measures the church leaders proposed, and it does not give figures for casualties or damage. It also does not say whether authorities have opened an investigation or made arrests.

Background

The source reports that the attacks on Palestinian villages have been recurring in areas where settler groups operate. Taybeh is a Christian town in the occupied West Bank, located northeast of Ramallah. The olive harvest is an important seasonal activity for Palestinian farming families.

The report was published by dostor.org, an Arabic-language outlet, and is the only source for these details. The statement's wording is reported here as the church leaders' own position.