Senior Church Leaders, Diplomats Urge UK Sanctions Over Israeli Settler Violence in West Bank

Senior Christian leaders from the Church of England and the Holy Land have condemned the escalating violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank, particularly targeting Taybeh, the last majority-Christian town in the occupied territory. They accuse Israeli authorities of enabling these attacks by failing to intervene and ignoring emergency calls, thereby fostering a culture of impunity that equates settler violence with state-sponsored aggression. The attacks include arson near churches, destruction of agricultural lands, and intimidation aimed at undermining Palestinian life and Christian heritage. Church leaders and foreign diplomats from over 20 countries have visited Taybeh in solidarity, urging accountability and investigations into the violence. The Church of England bishops have called on the UK government to impose sanctions on individuals and groups responsible and to consider suspending the UK-Israel trade agreement to pressure Israel to halt settler violence. These calls come amid a broader surge in settler attacks and clashes in the West Bank, with fears that such violence is part of a strategy to displace Palestinians and erase their cultural and religious presence.