A Christian advocacy group is sounding the alarm after reporting that a West Bank village came under attack Thursday, warning the violence could spread to the region’s last entirely Christian town.
According to the Vulnerable People Project, more than 100 Israeli settlers entered the Palestinian village of Deir Jarir under the protection of Israeli security forces. The organization said the situation remained active as of publication, with residents trapped inside after the village’s entrance was reportedly sealed.
Videos released by VPP appeared to show large groups of men rushing down a hillside into the village, while additional footage, reportedly filmed from inside a home, showed crowds moving through residential areas.
Escalation follows reported confrontation
VPP said the violence began after an Israeli settler allegedly attacked a Palestinian vehicle. The driver reportedly struck the settler while attempting to flee.
According to the organization, Israeli forces then closed the village’s entrance, leaving residents unable to leave as the confrontation intensified.
VPP alleged that members of the Hilltop Youth, accompanied by Israeli troops, vandalized homes, smashed windows, damaged vehicles, and set at least one home on fire. Those allegations had not been independently verified.
Fears for neighboring Christian community
Jason Jones, founder of the Vulnerable People Project, warned that the violence is unfolding just outside Taybeh, widely recognized as the last entirely Christian town in the West Bank:
“Right now, as I speak, families in Deir Jarir are trapped behind a gate the army has locked while settlers flood the village and set a home on fire — and this is happening one hill over from Taybeh,” Jones said.
“We have warned for weeks that the noose was tightening around Taybeh and its neighbors. This is that warning coming true in real time.”
The incident comes after months of growing concern from Catholic leaders over reported settler encroachments on Church-owned land and the security of Christian communities throughout the West Bank.
Israel has not responded
Jones urged diplomats and international leaders to intervene immediately, warning that the situation could worsen if left unchecked.
“A house is burning with people sealed inside the village, and every minute of delay is measured in lives,” he said.
“The world cannot afford to learn what happened tomorrow. It has to act tonight — observers, diplomats, phone calls to the highest levels — before this attack claims lives and reaches the last Christian town in the West Bank.”
At the time of publication, the Israeli government had not publicly commented on the allegations, and Israeli authorities had not confirmed VPP’s account or responded to the organization’s claims regarding the involvement of Israeli security forces.
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