Israeli settler terrorists torch ancient Christian town of Taybeh in the West Bank

(LifeSiteNews) — As part of an escalating strategy of violence against native Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Jewish terrorists from illegal Israeli settlements have again attacked the ancient Christian town of Taybeh, setting its agricultural fields ablaze and seeking to burn down homes, with reports of open fire upon these civilians as well.

This last fully Christian town in the West Bank has been the target of ongoing terror attacks due to the establishment of a new Israeli colony “settlement” nearby from where these attacks are launched.

Palestinian Christian and human rights activist Ihab Hassan has reported the Israeli terrorists are “setting fields on fire, hurling Molotov cocktails at homes, and attempting to set the village gas station ablaze.”

BREAKING: Israeli settlers are attacking the Christian village of Taybeh right now — setting fields on fire, hurling Molotov cocktails at homes, and attempting to set the village gas station ablaze.https://t.co/QiOAbofNdn pic.twitter.com/gRiVuJX0Rz

— Ihab Hassan (@IhabHassane) June 9, 2026

Citing sources within the town itself, Hassan posted that the residents are “terrified” as “fires are surrounding the village, and settlers opened fire on homes and civilians.”

He also reported that the Israeli army, which has a duty under international law to protect these civilians, “has now raided the village and is firing stun grenades.”

Taybeh, which is identified in the Gospel of John (11:54) as “Ephraim,” the place where Jesus Christ withdrew before His Passion, has endured repeated Israeli settler terrorist attacks over the past year.

In July 2025, masked settlers on horseback grazed livestock on private lands, set fires near the 5th-century Church of St. George and cemetery, destroyed farmland, and terrorized residents.

Local priests from Greek Orthodox, Latin, and Melkite churches described an ongoing “siege” aimed at economic strangulation and displacement. Holy Land bishops (Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem) condemned the “climate of impunity,” charged Israeli authorities with facilitating repeated Israeli settler terrorist attacks upon Christians and other Palestinians, and demanded international action and accountability from Israeli authorities.

Following advocacy by Jason Jones, U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee visited Taybeh on July 19, 2025, denouncing the attacks as “terror” and demanding prosecution of perpetrators, yet attacks persisted unimpeded by Israeli authorities.

This story is developing…