West Bank: Israeli settlers storm ancient church, Israeli forces demolish Palestinian homes

Extremist Israeli settlers stormed a church in an ancient Christian town in the occupied West Bank on Thursday in the third such violation against the holy site in a week, while Israeli forces blew up Palestinian homes in the occupied territory.

Residents of Taybeh told The New Arab’s sister site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the settlers stormed the compound of St. George Church.

They brought in a herd of around 80 cows, in a tactic recently used by settlers to harass Palestinians.

Last week, settlers set fire to trees near the church and its cemetery, drawing condemnation from Taybeh church officials who called for international protection.

The Church of St. George – known as Al-Khader Church in Arabic – is one of the oldest religious landmarks in Palestine, dating back to the 5th century.

Taybeh is the last remaining entirely Christian town in the West Bank.

The attacks and harassment began last month when settlers established a new settlement outpost on lands belonging to the town.

The extremist settler Hilltop Youth organisation is believed to be behind the increasing assaults targeting areas deep within the West Bank, including the killing of a Palestinian-American national earlier this week.

"Al-Khader Church is one of the oldest historic churches in the area and holds great religious and historical symbolism for the town's residents and Christians across Palestine," the Taybeh municipality said in a statement following Thursday’s incident.

"Nevertheless, neither its ancientness nor its sanctity spared it from being a target of settler attacks, as they continue their provocations and attempts to impose a settler reality through force and racism," it said.

The municipality added that "bringing animals into the church is not only an attack on religious property, but a deliberate insult to the feelings of believers and a desecration of their symbols."

It renewed calls on the international community and church bodies around the world to intervene to protect Christian holy sites.

Palestinian Christian numbers have dwindled significantly in the occupied territory, with approximately 45,000 living in the West Bank and East Jerusalem – making up no more than two percent of the Palestinian population there.

Home demolitions

Separately on Thursday, Israeli forces demolished three houses in the West Bank town of Qabatiya, south of Jenin. The Israeli army said the homes belonged to three slain men who carried out a shooting early this year.

The 6 January operation in the village of Al-Funduq in the northern West Bank resulted in the deaths of three Israelis.

Local sources said Israeli forces blew up the family homes of Muhammad Asaad Nazzal, Wael Lahlouh, and Muhammad Zakarneh.

Footage shared online showed the moment of the explosions in Qabatiya.

Israel always demolishes the homes of families of Palestinian militants. This has been condemned by rights groups as a form of collective punishment.

Demolitions also happen under the excuse that home owners lack permits – permits which Palestinians say are nearly impossible to obtain.

Israel launched a military operation dubbed 'Iron Wall' in January, raiding dozens of towns, villages and refugee camps across the northern West Bank.

The UN warned Tuesday that mass displacement in the West Bank had hit levels not seen since the start of Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territory nearly 60 years ago, revealing that around 30,000 people have so far been displaced since January.

During the same period, Israeli security forces have issued demolition orders for about 1,400 homes in the northern West Bank, said UN rights office spokesman Thameen Al-Kheetan.