Settler Violence Threatens Taybeh, the Last Christian Town in the West Bank

Taybeh, the last entirely Christian town in the West Bank, is under mounting pressure from settler violence and Israeli military restrictions that residents say are failing to protect them.

Seven settler outposts now surround the town, located north of Ramallah and east of Jerusalem. Settlers have seized control of agricultural land, private vineyards, and the Ein Samiya spring, which supplies water to the community and the local Taybeh Brewery.

In March 2026, settlers occupied a stone quarry and concrete factory, raising Israeli flags and performing religious rituals on the site. The owner, Roland Basir, said the business was forced to shut after settlers destroyed equipment, smashed electrical panels, and harassed employees at gunpoint.

On August 9, the Israeli military declared Taybeh and the neighboring village of Rammun a closed military zone, citing the need to curb settler violence. Residents say the order has not stopped the attacks. They report that the designation often bars international activists who provide a protective presence while failing to remove the settlers responsible for the incidents.

The town's brewery has seen an 80 percent decline in revenue since October 2023. Tourism has effectively stopped. About 15 families have left Taybeh over the past two years.

Father Bashar Fawadleh of Christ the Redeemer Church said residents who remain are committed to staying, framing their presence as an act of resistance tied to the town's historic and biblical significance.

The situation in Taybeh reflects a broader trend of declining Christian populations across the West Bank, as violence and economic pressure push families to leave.