Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation

Attacks by Israeli settlers against the population of Taybeh — the modern name of the biblical town of Ephraim, which Jesus visited shortly before his passion (John 11:54) — have intensified significantly in recent months. Father Bashar Fawadleh, the local parish priest, reported that settlers broke into a Christian family’s property that had recently been prepared for the fa...

Father Bashar Fawadleh, the parish priest of Taybeh — the last entirely Christian village in the West Bank — has issued an urgent appeal to Christians worldwide after Israeli settlers escalated their attacks on the community. “The situation in Taybeh has deteriorated drastically in recent months,” Fawadleh said. “We are facing settler attacks almost daily, repeated incursions...

Palestinian Christians call themselves “living stones” and say they have lived continuously in the Holy Land for the last 2,000 years. However, Reverend Mitri Raheb, founder and president of Dar Al-Kalima University in Bethlehem, warns that “if the current conditions continue, there will not be a single Palestinian Christian left by 2050.” Since the Gaza war began nearly thre...

The Middle East Council of Churches published its weekly “Palestine Observatory” report documenting humanitarian and security developments in Palestinian territories amid deteriorating conditions. Cardinal Pizzaballa expressed that “Holy Land Christians are tired; they want peace,” reflecting frustration with ongoing negotiations and security challenges. Reports indicate diff...

On August 1, 2026, Yoel Ben David, manager of Cafe Basimta in central Jerusalem — operated by Jews for Jesus — faced approximately 250 ultra-Orthodox protesters outside his establishment. The coffee shop opened June 1 and began Saturday operations on June 13, triggering backlash from the Haredi community who view Sabbath business as violating the Fourth Commandment. Counter-p...