Christian village in Palestine holding out under attacks by Israeli settlers
Father Bashar Fawadleh, Latin rite pastor of Taybeh, with children from his community. | Credit: Courtesy of Father Bashar Fawadleh.
By Andrés Henríquez
After raising Lazarus from the dead, the Lord Jesus 'no longer walked about in public among the Jews, but he left for the region near the desert, to a town called Ephraim,' (Jn. 11:54).
Ephraim is today known as Taybeh. In addition to being the only entirely Christian village in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and Gaza, it is also known for its beer.
This small village has been under recent attack by Israeli settlers, with the aim of 'undermining the dignity of its residents and the sanctity of its sacred land,' according to a statement from the pastors of the three local Christian churches.
Priests from the Latin, Greek Orthodox, and Melkite Greek Catholic churches reported July 8 that Israeli settlers have set fires in Taybeh, damaging historic buildings and essential crops and instilling fear among residents.
Fr Bashar Fawadleh, the Latin Rite pastor in Taybeh since 2021, told ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner, about the current situation. Although he does not speak Spanish, he has a special connection to Latin America: his mother was born in Valencia, Venezuela, but at age 16 returned to her family's homeland.
Between 250 and 300 people remain in Taybeh, while many of the town's previous inhabitants have emigrated. Those who have decided to stay depend primarily on harvesting olives from which they produce extra virgin olive oil for export.Since the attacks began, the workers have been terrified of going to work the land because they have been attacked so many times.
Fawadleh knows the situation very well because he was born in the small village of Aboud, near Ramallah. He says that, even before his appointment as pastor in 2021, he had never seen attacks of this magnitude.
'Their main goal is to occupy more land. To tell us: this land is for us, not for you. They do this to steal everything from the land. They also want to encourage us to leave this country, to leave the land of Taybeh. They do this to instill fear in the people,' he said.
'We are a peaceful people; we don't cause trouble, we don't have weapons, we don't have anyone to cause problems, difficulties, or restrictions,' the parish priest added.
Since the beginning of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, the situation in Taybeh has worsened dramatically. Unemployment affects a large portion of its residents, who, being Palestinians, are prohibited from entering Jerusalem, about an hour's drive south, where many worked.The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem is trying to alleviate the suffering by providing basic necessities and cash assistance so the people of Taybeh can pay for basic services and their school and university tuition. However, Fawadleh said, that's not enough.
'What we need now is to end this war, this conflict, to pray for peace, to seek peace, and to pray for justice, so that the fruit of justice may be peace,' he said.
Despite the attacks and suffering in Taybeh, the community still maintains its hope, joy, and happiness, 'because we are Christians, and our hope and faith are in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, in the empty tomb,' Fawadleh said.
The priest asks all people, regardless of their religion, to join in prayer to save the town.He also called for pressure on the governments involved in the conflicts in the Holy Land "to stop these attacks and open all checkpoints and military barriers in the West Bank."
'Come and see'
He also asked all people of good will to "come and see" the reality of Taybeh, echoing Jesus' first words to the apostles Andrew and John. "You can come and see it and stay in our homes," said Fawadleh, also emphasizing the importance of tourism for the people.
'We are living stones. You must visit us to encourage us to stay, to encourage us to be present in our land, because this is the land of Jesus' homeland,' the priest said.
This is the uniqueness of Taybeh, which formed its identity after Jesus' visit 2,000 years ago. 'When he visited us, he instilled in our hearts that we are his disciples, that is, we are Christians. So we must preserve our culture, our traditions, our church, and the first flame of Christianity that rose up in Jerusalem,' he said.
Then, all the pilgrims who go to see what is happening in Taybeh, Fawadleh continued, "will be able to return and tell the truth" about what the people need.
The heads of the Christian Churches of the Holy Land are scheduled to visit Taybeh on Monday, July 14, as an expression of their solidarity and closeness.
According to the local parish priest, this is a great joy and a clear sign that the Lord has not abandoned the small village. 'Jesus would ask us to stay and be present in our land,' he said. Upon their arrival, the leaders will pray together for peace in the ancient Church of St. George.
'Here in Taybeh, we seek peace and pray for peace for everyone, not only for Palestine, but for all the nations and countries of the world. When we have unity and love one another, we can hear the voice of God,' he concluded.--CNA
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