Jerusalem: The Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine has addressed church leaders and heads of churches worldwide, expressing grave concern over the continued escalation of violence, forced displacement, and persecution targeting the Palestinian people, with a specific focus on Palestinian Christians, across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the letter, issued by Ramzi Khouri, Member of the PLO Executive Committee and Head of the Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs, warned that attacks against Palestinian Christians are part of a systematic pattern that includes settler violence, land confiscation, settlement expansion, restrictions on freedom of worship, and access to holy sites. It further highlighted the attacks against clergy, nuns, churches, monasteries, and church properties and institutions.
The Committee also voiced concern over attempts to undermine the historic and legal status quo governing the holy sites in Jerusalem. It stressed that these policies and practices are putting increasing pressure on Palestinian Christian communities and threatening their long-standing presence in their homeland. Particular attention was drawn to the situation in Taybeh, Palestine's last entirely Christian town, where population decline is evident. Since 2023, many Christian families have been forced to leave due to worsening economic conditions, escalating attacks, and lack of political solutions.
The letter underscored the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, emphasizing that the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, reflects a broader reality affecting the entire Palestinian population. The Committee highlighted the inseparability of the Christian presence from the Palestinian cause, stating that protecting Christian presence equates to protecting Palestinian rights, dignity, and freedom.
The Committee called upon church leaders globally to engage with Palestinian churches, clergy, and theologians, encouraging visits to Palestine to witness the reality firsthand and meet with local Christian communities. It emphasized the importance of firsthand witness to understand the challenges Palestinians face and to develop stronger and more effective actions.
The Committee expressed gratitude for the solidarity shown by global churches but emphasized the need for this solidarity to translate into effective action. It urged continued efforts to defend justice, dignity, accountability, and the preservation of sacred sites and the Palestinian Christian community's presence.
Enclosed with the letter was a report documenting violations against Palestinian Christians and holy sites from 2026 through August. The Committee stressed the necessity for a shift from sympathy to action, urging church leaders to see, listen, speak, and let these actions lead to meaningful change.