Church leaders protest Israeli settlers’ violence against Christian community
July 15, 2025
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CWN Editor's Note: Christian leaders in Jerusalem gathered on July 15 in the town of Taybeh, in northern Israel, to condemn escalating violence against the town’s Christian community by militant Israeli settlers.
The Church leaders cited “an intensifying trend of systematic and targeted attacks” against the Christian residents, demanding an effective response from the Israeli government. The most blatant violence occurred on July 7, when settlers set fire to the ancient Church of St. George and its cemetery.
“These actions are a direct and intentional threat to our local community first and foremost, but also to the historic and religious heritage of our ancestors and holy sites,” proclaimed the Church leaders. The statement was signed by Catholic Patriarch Pietro Pizzaballa, Orthodox Patriarch Theopilos III, and representatives of the Armenian, Lutheran, and Anglican communities. King Abdullah of Jordan added a separate condemnation of the “brutal attacks,” calling for “an immediate and firm international position.”
Christian prelates complained that the Israeli government has ignored the violence by extremists. Asked whether he anticipated a government response now, Cardinal Pizzaballa said: “I doubt it, but I hope so.”
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