Written by Tyler Durden
The last completely Christian city on the Israeli-controlled West Bank of Jordan experiences a wave of aggressive attacks by judaic settlers, says local church leader, prompting families to flee and leads clergymen to declare that the city "is no longer safe" for its residents. It is ominous that settlers besides established a "post" on the outskirts of this town – Taybeh, Ramallah – a community of 4,500 years, which is of large importance in the past of Jesus Christ.
"The City to which John's Gospel refers (11:54) as 'Efraim'-- The place to which Jesus withdrew before his torment—is no longer safe for its inhabitants today"-- said Fr Bashar Fawadleh, parish priest of the Church of Christ the Redeemer in Taybeh, in an interview with a Catholic, Arabic-speaking information agency ACI MENA. "We live not in peace, but in regular fear and siege. Since October last year more than 10 families have left Taybeh due to fear of ongoing force and harassment."
This and another videos listed below circulate on social media, allegedly recording fresh attacks by settlers on Taybeh this week (BBC confirms that the attack took place on Wednesday:
This is only the latest of the ongoing pattern of aggression directed against Taybeh residents, which besides includes the theft of agricultural equipment and destruction of crops by fire or release of settlers' cattle to eat them, reports Catholic Information Agency.
The settlers have established a post on the east edge of the city, on the remains of a farm abandoned by Christians who fled about a year ago due to an expanding run of force and intimidation by settlers. "Płatówka" is simply a judaic settlement on Palestinian land that is not authorized by the Israeli government. The stations usually start with something as tiny as a shelter or a van, and are frequently situated on the tops of hills or farmland. In the case of "shepherd stations", settlers import farm animals that let grazing in a large area to establish a larger claim. Even though at the beginning of the facility they did not have approval from the government, The Israeli government frequently legalizes them retroactively, cementing the failure of land by Palestinians. (Let us note that there are both Christians and Muslims in the West Bank, and both varieties experience the wickedness of being non-Jewish.)
The settlement facility on the Taybeh periphery is located in the economically essential agricultural zone, which includes 4,200 acres from the full area of the city. The land is utilized under olive groves and seasonal crops, as well as poultry and sheep farming. In the average series of events, Jews at police stations are beginning to harass Palestinians whose families have long lived on this land, preventing them from accessing it. This behaviour is frequently practiced erstwhile Israeli safety forces stand by and observe – frequently only erstwhile Palestinians resist.
Local Christians say that this agricultural deprivation maneuver is precisely what takes place in Taybeh:
During the last olive harvest season, the second year in a row, Farmers had no access to their land near Rimmonim settlement – which was built on confiscated Taybeh land – which resulted in either theft or full demolition of olive harvesting. About 20 families were physically attacked While trying to scope his land...
"These days settlers graze their cows on a hill filled with olive and barley fields right next to people's homes. Locals see it as part of a systematic effort to strangle them economically and push them outside" – ACI MENA Catholic Information Agency
A Palestinian Christian explains how he, his household and another people of Taybeh are victims of West Bank settlers who want to take over this land:
The terrible treatment of Christians in Taybeh helps explain why Texas Senator Ted Cruz was booed off stage in 2014, erstwhile he gave a speech at a gala organized by In defence of Christians (IDC), a nonprofit organization that seeks to counter persecution and mistreatment of Christians throughout the mediate East – including Israel. Video of this incidental became viral again last week after Cruz's catastrophic interview with Tucker Carlsonwhere Cruz insisted that the Bible commands Christians to support the modern political creation of the State of Israel.
On this event IDC in 2014 r. cases rapidly took a bad turn erstwhile Cruz gave a flattering rhetoric to Israel, which unfailingly evokes applause erstwhile addressing crowds who have no thought of the destiny of Christian Palestinians in the territory controlled by Israel, Taybeh and elsewhere. "In 1948, Jews throughout the mediate East faced murders and extermination, and then fled to the Israeli people," Cruze said. "And present Christians have no better ally than the judaic state," he added. Cruz tried to decision on, saying, "Let me say this: Those who hatred Israel hatred America. And those who hatred Jews hatred Christians." The buzzing and shouting continued, forcing Cruz to resign from the party, saying, "If you do not stand by Israel and the Jews, then I will not stand by your side."
Fifteen kilometers northeast of Jerusalem and 12 kilometres northeast of Ramallah, Taybeh remained founded by the Canaanites between 2500 and 2900 BC. 3 Christian communities live harmoniously here: Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Melchite Greek Catholic. With beautiful whitewashed houses, the first church of St. George built by the Byzantines in the 4th century, the ruins of the Crusader castle and described in the Bible (using the name "Efraim") as the place where Jesus sought refuge from the crucifixion, he was an attractive mark for Christian tourists - but it's not clear how much longer it'll be.
One thing is certain: Ted Cruz and groups specified as Christians United For Israel will not talk for the besieged people of Taybeh anytime soon.
