Bishop warns of rising attacks on Christians in Holy Land

Christians in the occupied West Bank are facing increasing pressure from Israeli settlers, according to Jerusalem Bishop William Shomali. He said incidents were becoming more frequent and were increasingly threatening the presence of Christian communities in the region, Anadolu Agency reports.

According to the bishop, settlers are preventing Palestinian Christians from accessing their land, threatening them and carrying out physical attacks or destroying property, including setting cars on fire. Villages such as Taybeh and Birzeit are said to be among the worst affected, where similar incidents are reported almost daily.

He also said settlers were occupying religious property, including land belonging to a monastery near Bethlehem.

Reports also point to the symbolic marking of land with Israeli flags despite existing property deeds. Shomali called on the Church and the international community to provide greater support, saying the situation was gradually deteriorating.

(mja)