On July 11, the town of Taybeh, Palestine’s last remaining fully Christian town northeast of Ramallah has come under repeated and escalating attacks by Israeli settlers residing illegally in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). These incidents, occurring with alarming frequency and intensity, form part of a deliberate policy of settler-led forced displacement, led by the highest political echelons in Israel.
Settlers have attacked Taybeh at least four times within the past few days, setting fire to homes, olive groves, and key religious and cultural landmarks, including the Byzantine cemetery and the 5th-century Al-Khader Church. Residents report that Israeli soldiers stationed nearby have not only failed to intervene but have provided clear protection for the settlers’ violent actions [1].
This pattern reflects a broader, government-backed campaign of settler violence used as a tool of forcible displacement, as documented in our Report & Short Movie: Escalating Settler Violence and Aggression in the Occupied West Bank. Far from being isolated incidents or the work of “extremist individuals,” these attacks are strategic in nature and come as a result of a very alarming development: the formation of a new “settler police” unit. In June, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir announced the formation of a new Israeli police unit composed of illegal settlers, tasked with operating in the occupied West Bank. He called the move an embodiment of “real sovereignty and practical Zionism,” suggesting it contributes to Israel’s long-sought goal of annexing the West Bank. This alarming development not only institutionalizes settler violence but arms it with legal and military legitimacy, pushing the bounds of de facto annexation even further [2].
The recent attacks in Taybeh follow similar patterns of violence and impunity across the West Bank, including in Ein Samia, Kufr Malik, and the Jordan Valley; where homes, agricultural lands, and even ancient water infrastructure like the Roman aqueduct have been targeted.
The attacks have injured 58 Palestinians and displaced 67 Palestinians in the past two weeks [3], deepening an already ongoing process of ethnic cleansing throughout the entirety of the West Bank. Taybeh’s Christian community, one of the oldest in the world, now finds itself increasingly endangered by the threat of violence and forced displacement.
Besides composing part of a deliberate Israeli policy of forced displacement through settler violence across the West Bank, the concentrated settlers attacks on Taybeh have an aggravated impact: they target the last remaining Palestinian Christian towns in the West Bank, threatening further the existence and continuation of the earliest denominations of Christianity in the world.
The deliberate creation of a coercive environment through violence and intimidation, particularly when tolerated or facilitated by the occupying power, constitutes indirect forcible transfer.
The systematic settler violence in the West Bank —such as the targeted attacks on Taybeh reflects a deliberate Israeli policy of forced displacement, which is strictly prohibited under international law and constitutes a grave violation, amounting to a war crime. Under international humanitarian law, Israel, as the occupying power, has an obligation to ensure the protection of the civilian population in the occupied territory. The deliberate failure to prevent or punish settler violence and the lack of action, protection and even accompaniment of the Israeli military, amount to grave breaches of international humanitarian law. Moreover, such attacks and violence, notably when directed against religiously significant communities like Taybeh, may rise to the level of persecution and cultural/ religious erasure—both prohibited under international human rights and humanitarian law. The destruction of cultural and religious sites, when part of a systematic policy of displacement, may amount to a war crime under international criminal law. Such grave developments require immediate international accountability and protection mechanisms, as mandated under international law.
[1] Catholic Connect, https://catholicconnect.in/news/jewish-settlers-assault-christian-village-of-taibeh-in-palestine.
[2] Anadolu Agency Middle East, https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/israel-s-ben-gvir-forms-new-police-unit-composed-of-illegal-settlers-in-occupied-west-bank/3627297.
[3] OCHA, https://www.ochaopt.org/content/humanitarian-situation-update-298-west-bank.