Ramallah: Israeli forces demolished a home and razed agricultural land belonging to the Christian Abed family in the al-Saqi area of Birzeit, north of Ramallah. Additionally, the Christian family of Bashir Naim Kouna was forced to leave its home in Taybeh, east of Ramallah, after persistent threats and attacks by illegal Israeli occupiers.
According to Anadolu Agency, the Presidential Higher Committee for Church Affairs condemned these actions, stating that they violate international law. The committee emphasized that these incidents are part of a broader strategy aimed at seizing Palestinian land and promoting settlement expansion through force.
The Al-Baidar Organization for the Defense of Bedouin Rights reported that the Kouna family had invested over 1 million shekels ($300,000) in building and furnishing their home, which they occupied just a week prior to being forced out. Despite having all necessary municipal permits, the family faced relentless pressure leading to their displacement.
The committee articulated that attacks on Palestinian Christians' homes and lands are tantamount to an attack on the entire Palestinian community, underscoring the integral role of Christians in the region's history and identity. They highlighted ongoing demolitions, land confiscations, and forced displacements across the West Bank, including areas such as East Jerusalem, Masafer Yatta, the Jordan Valley, and the governorates of Nablus, Bethlehem, and Ramallah, as well as in the Gaza Strip.
Calls have been made for the international community to intervene and hold those responsible for these violations accountable. The committee stressed that Taybeh, the only remaining entirely Christian Palestinian town, is experiencing a decline in population as more Christian families are compelled to leave due to escalating Israeli attacks.
In a previous statement on August 11, the committee warned that the Israeli assaults on Christian communities threaten their longstanding presence in Palestine. It described these attacks as part of a recurring pattern involving occupier violence, land confiscation, illegal settlement expansion, and restrictions on freedom of worship.
The committee further noted that like other Palestinian towns in the West Bank, Taybeh is experiencing increased aggression from illegal Israeli occupiers targeting Palestinians and their properties, particularly in areas near illegal settlements and outposts.