Christian Palestinian activist decries Israeli settler ‘impunity’ in West Bank terrorist attacks

(LifeSiteNews) — A Palestinian Christian human rights activist has spoken out against the ongoing “impunity” Israeli settler terrorists possess with their escalating attacks on Palestinian communities in the West Bank, particularly Christian villages like Taybeh.

In a Vatican News interview released May 9, Ihab Hassan recalled his previous conversation with the outlet in July 2025 amid violence in Taybeh – the last entirely Christian village in the West Bank. At that time Hassan warned, “What is needed is for the settlers to be held accountable for their violence. If they’re not, then this will just keep happening.”

READ: Holy Land bishops urge Christians worldwide to help defend faithful from Israeli settler attacks

Nearly a year later, he reported that settlers have faced “no consequences” from Israeli law enforcement agencies for their continued assaults, including burning vehicles, smashing windows, and occupying a quarry.

Hassan, whose regular reports serve a following of almost 69,000 members on X, stressed the systemic nature of the problem, affirming the primary issue is the “impunity” with which Israeli terrorists are permitted to launch their attacks upon the virtually defenseless Palestinians. While some Israeli government officials have publicly condemned these violent abuses, “no real steps” have been taken to hold these Israeli settlers responsible.

I spoke with Vatican News about settler terrorism against Palestinians and Christian communities in the West Bank.

Nearly a year ago, I also gave another interview to Vatican News, where I warned that if the Israeli settlers who attacked the Christian village of Taybeh and set… pic.twitter.com/5ZT4UnB7oN

— Ihab Hassan (@IhabHassane) May 10, 2026

He noted similar violence is being coordinated “across the West Bank, from Hebron to Jenin,” including two Palestinians, one a 14-year-old boy, being shot dead by Jewish terrorists last month during an attack on a school in Mughayyir. And on April 23, the Palestinian Health Ministry said 16 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli occupiers in occupied West Bank since start of 2026.

Linking these attacks to broader policy, Hassan declared: “What is really empowering these settlers is the policy of the Israeli government,” which enjoys enormous financial, military, and diplomatic support from American taxpayers and their government.

The human rights activist pointed to Israel’s recent approval of a record 34 new settlements – illegal under international law – which serve as “launch bases” for further aggression against Palestinian towns and villages in the West Bank.

To address the “existential” threat to ancient Christian communities, Hassan is involved in the new Save West Bank Christians project, initiated by Catholic humanitarian and Vulnerable People Project founder Jason Jones.

With regard to this initiative, Hassan made a direct appeal: “We’re not asking for any political stance. All we are asking for is solidarity, for Christians around the world to put pressure on those responsible to stop these attacks.”

Highlighting the gravity of the situation, the Christian Palestinian advocate shared a recent call with a family in Jalud near Nablus: “They told me that they think the settlers will soon attack again … They told me that nobody is taking any action to stop it and they said that, if they die, nobody will notice.”

Through documentation of violations and this advocacy effort, Hassan urges global Christian solidarity to demand accountability and protection for vulnerable communities facing displacement and violence which continues to escalate in the region.

On Saturday, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that Israeli settlers carried out over 20 terrorist attacks over the weekend across the West Bank. Violence in areas like Nablus, Jericho, and Hebron Hills involved home invasions, arson, stone-throwing, property vandalism, and uprooting olive trees. Several Palestinians were wounded, including a pregnant woman. Of the almost 20 attacks, Israel’s military said it opened an investigation into one incident.

Corroborating the culture of impunity and protection awarded to Israeli terrorists by their government, Israeli rights group Yesh Din reported in 2022 that, from 2017-2021, Israeli soldiers faced complaints in 1,260 cases of alleged harm to Palestinians (including 409 killings), but the military opened only 248 investigations and issued just 11 indictments – under 1 percent. Additionally, convictions often resulted in light sentences like community service.

On May 4, Haaretz reported that Israeli Major General Avi Bluth, head of Central Command in the occupied West Bank, bragged in a closed forum that Israeli forces are “killing like we haven’t since 1967.”

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