2025-07-07 · Taybeh, Ramallah and al-Bireh
Fire set in fields beside Taybeh's St George church ruins; church leaders blame settlers
ArsonDamage to olive treesLivestock theftNo arrestsAwaiting review
On Monday 7 July 2025 fields around the ruins of the fifth-century Church of St George and the nearby cemetery in Taybeh, the Christian town east of Ramallah, were set on fire; residents said they saw settlers set the fields alight and rushed to put the fire out before it spread. A priest said he called the police emergency line twice during the fire and was told a force was on its way, but no officers came. Church leaders said settler harassment had become daily over the previous two weeks, including cattle grazed on farmland and olive trees damaged. Israel Police later called reports that the church itself had been set on fire factually incorrect.
Footage
Location
Approximate: village
How it was located: Fields beside the ruins of the 5th-century Church of St George (al-Khader) and the cemetery on Taybeh's eastern side; village centroid used.
Victims and damage
- Injured
- 0
- Killed
- 0
- Damage
- Fields around the Church of St George ruins and nearby cemetery burned; residents put the fire out before it spread.
Perpetrators
- Settlement or outpost of origin
- Recently established outposts on Taybeh's eastern edge (per church statement)
- Army
- No soldiers present
Legal outcome
No legal steps recorded.
Sources
More information or a correction? Write to corrections@settlerviolence.com