Israeli police have rejected claims that Jewish settlers set fire to the archaeological site of the Church of St. George in the village of Taybeh in the West Bank, describing these reports as “factually incorrect,” lacking evidence, and potentially misleading to the public.
Police reported that last Thursday, a thorough investigation was initiated by a special team from the Judea and Samaria Central Investigations Unit (YAMAR), as directed by the district commander. An internal committee has been tasked to review the sequence of events recorded in the police information systems, analyze the handling of reports and complaints, and appraise the overall response.
“Findings gathered on the ground unequivocally show that no damage or harm was caused to the holy site itself,” police said.
Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III accused “radical Israelis from nearby settlements” of “a targeted attack.”
Dan Diker, president of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, stated to Fox News Digital that Israel needs to adopt a firmer strategy to manage incidents that could affect its image internationally.
“We are in the middle of the most consequential war since the founding of the state, and events like this are just as dangerous,” he said.
He emphasized the importance of reinforcing Israel’s role in safeguarding Christian heritage and holy sites, particularly in contested areas.
“This includes exposing the PLO and Hamas’ ongoing war against Christian citizens, but it also requires transparency and assertiveness in showing our role as guardians of Christian sites and civilization in Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem,” said Diker.
An aerial view showing St. George church on the West Bank. (TPS-IL)
He also pointed to what he described as a coordinated effort by the Palestinian leadership to undermine Israel’s legitimacy on the global stage, particularly through the media.
“We are in the midst of an international crusade by the Palestinian leadership to uproot our legitimacy,” he said. “The international media has become an ecosystem for the defamation and delegitimization of Israel. They are weaponizing every event into an existential assault.”
On Monday night, the Binyamin Regional Council, which administers Jewish communities in southern Samaria, confirmed the church incurred no damage.
“Here I am on the outskirts of the church. You can see the apse over here. And even on the outskirts or the outer walls, there are no signs of fire,” the council’s international spokeswoman, Eliana Passentin, said in a video.
“We are the guardians of the biblical heartland. This land was given to us by God – there is no reason for us to burn a church or to disrespect anyone else’s religion,” she added.
Speaking to Fox News Digital on Tuesday, Passentin recalled bringing visitors to the local brewery in Taybeh, which was so well-regarded that a rabbi granted it kosher certification. She noted that Israelis and Christian Arabs had coexisted peacefully in the area for years, but expressed concern that the community now identifies itself with a Palestinian state that does not formally exist.
“When I was walking around, one of the priests in Taybeh said he believed in the two-state solution and it felt as if the P.A. was putting a lot of pressure on the Christians,” Passentin said.
She suggested that the latest crisis was manufactured by those seeking to divide Jews and Christians, whom she described as joint guardians of Judea and Samaria.
“We are striving for peace,” she said. “This is the land of the Bible, and we should be building it together – not fighting or spreading false blood libels accusing Jews of burning down a church.”
