The key facts

  • Jerusalem church leaders condemned the attack on olive harvesters in Tayiba, including European diplomats
  • They called on Israel to hold the perpetrators accountable and condemned the ruling by Rabbi Dov Lior
  • The Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission documented more than 14,742 attacks over three years

Statement by Church Leaders

On Tuesday, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem stated that impunity emboldens Israeli settlers to carry out attacks in the occupied West Bank. In their statement, they condemned Saturday's attack, in which masked settlers assaulted Palestinians harvesting olives in Tayiba — a predominantly Christian village northeast of Ramallah. The attack also affected foreign guests, including European diplomats and officials who had come to express solidarity with Palestinian communities.

Not an Isolated Incident

The church leaders emphasized that the attack was not an isolated incident and warned of widespread violence against Palestinian villages in recent weeks, especially during the olive harvest season. 'Unfortunately, the facts on the ground show that these attacks continue because of the impunity enjoyed by those who carry them out,' the statement said.

Rabbi's Ruling

The church leaders also condemned a recent religious ruling by Israeli Rabbi Dov Lior permitting Jews to take olives from Palestinian farmers, calling it dangerous and unacceptable. According to Israel's Channel 13, Lior issued the ruling last week, arguing that taking Palestinian olives is permissible and even virtuous. The church leaders welcomed the opposition from other rabbis and Jewish voices against the ruling.

Calls for Action

The church leaders called on the Israeli authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice and appealed to the international community to intensify efforts to protect Palestinians in Tayiba and throughout the occupied West Bank, as well as the foreign guests expressing solidarity with them. According to the Palestinian Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, more than 14,742 settler attacks have been documented in the West Bank over the past three years.