Last Christian Village in West Bank Fades Amid Shifting Attitudes

The last remaining village in the West Bank with an exclusively Christian population, Taybeh, is experiencing a significant decline, with residents expressing concern and pride as a wartime atmosphere permeates their community. Since October 7th, 15 families have left Taybeh for diaspora communities, contributing to a broader trend of diminishing Christian presence in the region. The local Christian leader, referred to as "the host" and "one of the local church leaders," laments the current despair, recalling a simpler past before the intifadas and the Oslo Accords when travel between Taybeh and Jaffa was common and settlers would visit the village to buy ice cream.

This sentiment contrasts sharply with the views of younger settlers who perceive all surrounding villages as hostile. An older generation of settlers, influenced by rabbis like Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook, recalls a time when kindness towards Arabs was emphasized. Pinchas Wallerstein, a prominent figure from the Gush Emunim movement's founding generation, shared a letter from Rabbi Kook expressing deep regret over children harassing an elderly Arab vendor. This emphasis on human dignity is reportedly absent in discussions with younger settlers, who view Arabs as enemies seeking to expel Jews from the land, a perception hardened by the intifadas and especially since October 7th.

Moriyah Shapira, a resident of Adi Ad, whose family has deep roots in religious Zionist settlement, describes a transformation in the area. She notes that three years ago, her 15-year-old son moved near the village of 'Ein al-Auja and established a flock of sheep, reclaiming water sources previously controlled by a Bedouin tribe. This action, she claims, is part of a broader effort by Jewish outposts to counter Palestinian presence in Area C, leading to the Bedouin tribe's departure. She views this reclaiming of resources as a positive development, allowing thousands of Jews to visit the springs without fear. Rabbi Shai Naveh, considered a moderate voice among religious Zionist rabbis, expresses ambivalence, condemning violence but seeing the reclaiming of land as a historically significant and positive change, especially after October 7th, discouraging the establishment of a Palestinian state west of the Jordan River.

Shapira's father, Ira Rappaport, was a former activist involved in the Jewish Underground, serving 15 months in prison for his role in an attempted bombing of the mayor of Nablus. He viewed the mayor as a terrorist responsible for attacks that killed Jews. Shapira herself emphasizes that her red line is harming Jews, but she views the Arab residents in their vicinity as enemies whose goal is to expel them. She believes that young settlers engaging in "offensive activity against a Muslim enemy" are aiding the state and that their determination to establish permanent settlements will continue until the entire region is Jewish. She envisions a future where Arabs who abandon terrorism and accept Israeli sovereignty will benefit, and that peace will stem from Israel's strength.