Israeli military closes Palestinian Christian village Taybeh, citing settler attacks
The Israeli military has declared the West Bank village of Taybeh a closed military zone for non-residents to prevent settler violence against Palestinians. This decision follows reports of increasing intimidation and a UN inquiry linking authorities to settler attacks.
Why it matters
The move highlights the ongoing volatility in the West Bank and the complex security dynamics affecting minority Christian communities and Palestinian residents.
Israel’s military on Sunday (August 9, 2026) closed the West Bank village of Taybeh to non-residents, saying it aimed to prevent growing attacks on Palestinians by Israeli settlers across the West Bank.
The order, the military said, only applies to Israelis and not to Palestinians. A spokesperson said turning Taybeh into a closed military zone was “due to some violent attacks by Israelis in the region.”
“Upon receiving any report of violations of the order, IDF soldiers are dispatched to the area and operate to disperse the gatherings and detain suspects in order to protect the citizens of the area and to maintain order,” the military said in a statement.
Taybeh is one of the only Christian villages remaining in the West Bank and was visited last year by the Greek Orthodox patriarch and the Roman Catholic cardinal of Jerusalem.
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