Jerusalem church leaders say lack of accountability fuels Israeli occupiers’ attacks in West Bank

Jerusalem’s church leaders said Tuesday that impunity is emboldening Israeli occupiers to carry out attacks in the occupied West Bank, condemning a recent assault on Palestinian farmers and European diplomats. In a statement, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem denounced Saturday’s attack by masked Israeli occupiers on Palestinians harvesting olives in Taybeh, a predominantly Christian village northeast of Ramallah. The assault also targeted foreign visitors, including European diplomats and officials who had come to show solidarity with Palestinian communities facing repeated attacks. The church leaders stressed that the assault was not an isolated incident, warning of widespread violence against Palestinian villages in recent weeks, particularly during the olive harvest season. They also condemned a recent religious ruling by Israeli Rabbi Dov Lior permitting Jews to take olives from Palestinian farmers, describing it as dangerous and unacceptable. The leaders welcomed opposition to the ruling from other rabbis and Jewish voices. Lior issued the ruling last week, claiming that taking Palestinian olives was permissible and even virtuous, according to Israel’s Channel 13. “Unfortunately, the facts on the ground show that these attacks continue because of the impunity enjoyed by those who commit them,” the statement said. They urged Israeli authorities to bring those responsible to justice and called on the international community to intensify efforts to protect Palestinians in Taybeh and across the occupied West Bank, as well as foreign visitors expressing solidarity with them. The Palestinian Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission has documented more than 14,742 attacks by Israeli occupiers across the West Bank over the past three years.