Taybeh: The mayor of the Palestinian Christian village Taybeh in the occupied West Bank warned Monday of the repercussions of Israel's decision to declare the area a 'closed military zone,' saying it harms residents and their livelihoods.
According to Anadolu Agency, earlier Monday, the Israeli army declared the village near Ramallah a 'closed military zone' to prevent rising attacks by occupiers. Under the decision, Israelis and foreigners are barred from entering the area.
Speaking to Anadolu, Mayor Suleiman Khoury said municipal authorities have not yet been officially notified of the decision or details on how it would be implemented. 'Preventing foreigners from entering Taybeh would harm residents, as the town is a tourist destination with hotels, restaurants and facilities that depend on visitors and tourists,' he said.
The mayor further elaborated, 'Some residents make their living from tourism, making restrictions on foreign entry a direct blow to economic activity and income sources.' He questioned the usefulness of the decision if Israel's declared goal was to protect Taybeh residents from occupier attacks, particularly as assaults on Palestinians and their property continue.
Khoury emphasized, 'Israeli occupiers continue attacking, vandalizing and grazing on the village's land,' adding that protecting residents should be done 'by stopping occupier attacks, not by imposing new restrictions on the village.' He described the decision as 'an attempt to tighten the noose on residents more than a measure to protect them.'
Taybeh is one of the most prominent Palestinian Christian-majority areas and is known for its religious, historical, and tourist significance. The village includes ancient churches and archaeological sites, while tourism is one of the important sources of income for its residents. The Israeli decision came days after Taybeh came under attack by Israeli occupiers on Friday.
According to the Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, Israeli occupiers carried out 3,488 attacks against Palestinians and their property during the first half of this year. The attacks include assaults on Palestinians, burning homes, vehicles, and structures, uprooting trees, and razing agricultural land. They also include preventing farmers from reaching their land, establishing new illegal settlement outposts, and seizing Palestinian land.
Commission figures show around 750,000 occupiers live in 156 illegal settlements and 360 settlement outposts in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.