Bishop James Curry has called on the Israeli government to “find a way of protecting the legitimate communities from settler violence” as it declared the last Christian town in the West Bank a closed military zone.
The Israeli military said in a statement that it had closed the village of Taybeh to “protect the citizens of the area and to maintain order” following repeated attacks by settlers. However, Bishop Curry said it was “far from clear” that the move would achieve that objective.
Bishop Curry, who is the Lead Bishop for the Holy Land for the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, said: “The Israeli government must find a way of protecting the legitimate communities from settler violence whilst allowing citizens to go about their normal business. This ban will lead to a vital loss of income from tourism and pilgrimages and, thereby, international scrutiny on the situation.”
