Taybeh – Sanad Sahelia - “Nabd El-Haya” - In a first-of-its-kind visit, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul arrived in the town of Taybeh, east of Ramallah, on Thursday morning, August 1, 2025, in a show of solidarity with its residents following a series of attacks carried out by Israeli settlers targeting civilian property and Christian religious sites.
The minister was received by local clergy, the mayor and municipal council members, as well as a group of residents affected by settler violence, alongside other community members.
The visit included a stop at the historic Church of Saint George (Al-Khadr), where the minister inspected the damage caused by a recent fire that reached the church's perimeter and the old cemetery. He listened to testimonies from local residents about the recent attacks, expressing deep distress over what he saw and heard. He also visited a nearby residential neighborhood where several vehicles had been torched, viewing the extent of the damage inflicted on private property.
Clergy and municipal officials briefed the German minister on the deteriorating situation, explaining that Taybeh has been subjected for months to a series of recurring attacks that have threatened the safety and dignity of its inhabitants — from the storming of farmland and aggressive grazing, to the setting of fires near holy sites like the church and cemetery, the burning of vehicles and properties, and even verbal and physical assaults on residents.
They emphasized that these incidents are not isolated, but part of an escalating pattern of intimidation and pressure against the Christian presence in the town, amid a lack of deterrent action by official authorities. The delegation appealed to the international community, including church institutions and human rights organizations, to urgently intervene and take a clear stand to protect Taybeh’s residents and safeguard civil peace and coexistence in Palestine.
German Foreign Minister’s Statement
Speaking from the site of the fire at Saint George’s Church, Minister Wadephul declared:
“What happened here is not an exception — it is part of a deeply troubling and growing pattern. Cars were burned, residents forced to flee their homes, children injured. The church and cemetery were vandalized. In Nablus, olive groves are being destroyed. In Masafer Yatta, a Palestinian involved in a documentary film was killed. These acts are being carried out by violent Jewish settlers. They are crimes and must be prosecuted. These are acts of terrorism.”
Wadephul added that reports indicating Israeli soldiers “stood by passively or supported these acts” are “deeply shocking,” stressing that Israel, “as an occupying power and a state governed by the rule of law, has the responsibility to enforce order, prosecute offenders, and protect Palestinian civilians from settler violence.”
He affirmed that Germany, at the European level, will continue to push for sanctions against violent settlers. The visit, he said, was “a gesture of solidarity with all those suffering from such violence, particularly Christians, who remain among the most persecuted religious communities globally.” He added: “It is the duty of the German government to draw attention to this reality — and we are doing that here, in this very place.”
The minister also addressed the issue of press freedom, highlighting that “journalists around the world face violence, repression, and threats to their lives,” and said that his visit also carried “a message of solidarity with press freedom and all those working in the field.”
Regarding settlement expansion, Wadephul reiterated that “illegal settlements remain a major obstacle to the two-state solution,” expressing deep concern over settlement plans such as the “E1” project, which, in his words, “aims to fragment the future Palestinian state and restrict the freedom of movement of Palestinians.”
He stressed that Germany’s position is firm and clear: “Settlement construction violates international law. I made that clear yesterday to my Israeli counterparts. The situation is tragic — I said it yesterday, and I repeat it today from here.”
Wadephul reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to supporting the establishment of a Palestinian state, while clarifying that “official recognition of that state is not currently on the table.” At the same time, he firmly rejected any “illusions of annexation, whether in Gaza or the West Bank,” stating: “Germany will not recognize any form of annexation promoted by some elements within the Israeli government.”
Concluding his remarks, the German foreign minister expressed his gratitude for the warm reception in Taybeh, emphasizing that his visit aimed to shed light on the realities on the ground — realities that risk derailing any progress toward understanding and reconciliation between those who seek to live in peace.
“This region stands at a crossroads,” he said. “The German government wants to help keep the door open to understanding and peaceful coexistence. But it expects all parties — especially the Israeli government — to uphold the rule of law and demonstrate a genuine willingness to walk the path of reconciliation toward a just and lasting peace.”
