Dear Brother Archons and Friends of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate:

The Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate (AEP) note with dismay and indignation the attack by Israeli settlers on the Palestinian Christian village of Taybeh in the West Bank, and call upon the Israeli government to take immediate and unequivocal action against the perpetrators.

According to a statement from Father Daoud Khoury of the Greek Orthodox Church, Father Jacques-Noble Abed of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, and Father Bashar Fawadleh of the Roman Catholic Church, the priests of the three churches in Taybeh, the incident took place on Monday, July 7, 2025, when Israeli “settlers deliberately set fire near the town’s cemetery and the historic Church of Saint George (Al-Khadr), dating back to the 5th century―one of the oldest religious landmarks in Palestine.”

The Church of Saint George is a parish of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The priests continued: “Were it not for the vigilance of local residents and the swift intervention of firefighting teams, the damage could have been far more catastrophic.”

The three priests stated that they “strongly condemn the ongoing and grave series of attacks targeting Taybeh,” and as Archons we join that condemnation. “These assaults,” they explained, “threaten the security and stability of our town and aim at undermining the dignity of its residents and the sanctity of its sacred land.” The land is suffering steady encroachment from Israeli settlers: “The eastern area of Taybeh, which comprises more than half of the town’s territory and includes the bulk of its agricultural activity, has effectively become an open target for illegal settlement outposts that expand quietly under military protection. These outposts serve as a base for further assaults on the land and its people.”

The land is indeed sacred. Taybeh was known before the twelfth century as Ephraim, and is mentioned numerous times in the Bible. The priests point out that Taybeh is “the place to which Jesus withdrew before His Passion (John 11:54).” It is the last town in the West Bank that is populated entirely by Christians. Accordingly, the priests emphasize that they “cannot remain silent in the face of these relentless attacks that threaten our very existence on this land,” explaining that Taybeh’s “wholly Christian population represents a unique presence in the region, a living testimony that dates back to the time of Christ.”

Yet “this enduring spiritual and cultural legacy, preserved faithfully by the people of Taybeh across generations, is now at serious risk of erosion and displacement due to the systematic targeting of land, sacred places, and the local community.”

The priests of Taybeh call upon political and religious leaders worldwide to undertake four initiatives in the face of Israeli settler violence: “Launch an immediate and transparent investigation into the incidents of arson and the ongoing assaults on property, agricultural land, and holy sites; apply diplomatic pressure on the occupying authorities to halt settler actions and prevent them from entering or grazing in Taybeh’s lands; dispatch international and church delegations to conduct field visits, document the damages, and bear witness to the deteriorating reality on the ground; support the people of Taybeh through economic and agricultural initiatives, and strengthen their resilience with effective legal accompaniment.”

The AEP echoes this call, for we, too, “believe that the Holy Land cannot remain alive without its indigenous people.” Let us, above all, join together in earnest prayer for the Christians of Taybeh, and for all victims of violence in this troubled region.

Yours in the service of the Ecumenical Patriarchate,

Anthony J. Limberakis, MD
Archon Grand Aktouarios
National Commander