Palestinian Village Taybeh Struggles to Sustain Its Historic Brewery Amid Settler Attacks and Bureaucratic Hurdles

Taybeh, a Palestinian Christian village east of Ramallah, once thrived as a vibrant cultural and economic hub, famous for its annual Oktoberfest festival that attracted over 10,000 visitors from diverse backgrounds. The festival celebrated the village's renowned local beer and supported many local artisans and producers, symbolizing coexistence and creativity. However, in recent years, the festival has ceased, replaced by silence, sorrow, and a quiet wave of emigration, with 15 families leaving for Europe as asylum seekers in the past three years.

Nadim Khoury, who returned to Taybeh in 1994 after studying in the United States, founded the village’s modern brewery, which expanded into olive oil, non-alcoholic beer, a winery, and an eco-hotel. Today, the brewery exports to 17 countries, yet faces severe challenges due to political and security realities. Khoury highlights the difficulties in obtaining export permits, noting that Israeli authorities now require Palestinian producers to seek approvals from the Palestinian Authority, which cannot provide them, while nearby settlements receive easier access.

Nadim’s daughter, Madis Khoury, manages daily operations and describes worsening water shortages since July 2025, exacerbated by repeated attacks from settlers on the village’s main water source, Ein Samia spring. Settlers have vandalized infrastructure and assaulted water workers, leaving Palestinians with only a fraction of the water, while settlers consume the majority.

The village also suffers from roadblocks and bureaucratic obstacles that delay shipments and increase costs, threatening the brewery’s viability. Nearby, vineyard owner Hassan Kassis recounts how settlers recently cut grapevines and burned 16 dunams of cultivated land, destroying cherished trees and turning daily work into a dangerous gamble.

Despite these hardships, the Khoury family emphasizes that their Christian faith does not shield them from settler hostility, which targets their presence and land. As church bells ring over Taybeh’s hills, the community clings to its deep roots and hopes to preserve its heritage and economic lifeline. Nadim Khoury remains determined, stating, "We are here because this is our land," even as the threat of closure looms.

The village continues to resist quietly, fighting for the survival of its brewery and vineyards amid ongoing adversity, though the residents’ outlook has grown increasingly bitter.