Taybeh, MINA – United States Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, has unequivocally condemned the attack on a church and cemetery in the West Bank town of Taybeh as an “act of terror.” His remarks came after a visit to the predominantly Christian Palestinian town on Sunday.
During his visit to Taybeh, the West Bank’s sole entirely Christian Palestinian town, Huckabee directly witnessed the aftermath of the vandalism, which is being attributed to illegal Zionist Israeli settlers.
Local Christian clergy reported that on July 8, a group of Zionist settlers set fire to land near a cemetery and attacked a historic 5th-century church site, Wafa reported.
“This is an unacceptable act of terror,” Huckabee told reporters after meeting with religious leaders in Taybeh. He added that places of worship and historical heritage must be respected and protected, regardless of the religion and identity of their inhabitants.
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This attack occurs amid increasing violence by illegal Israeli settlers against Palestinians throughout the West Bank, including against the increasingly pressured Christian minority communities.
The church and local community have expressed distress and disappointment over the slow response from Israeli security forces in addressing the attack.
“We have reported this arson and destruction, but no concrete steps have been taken yet,” said one cleric.
The international community continues to urge Israel to end impunity for settlers who frequently commit violence against Palestinian civilians.
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Taybeh has long been known as a peaceful town with a rich Christian tradition and a long history now threatened by illegal settlement expansion and repressive actions by the Israeli military. [Shibgho]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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