DaysofPal— The Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine has warned that ongoing Israeli settlement expansion is posing a growing threat to the Palestinian Christian presence in the Holy Land.
In a statement addressed to church leaders worldwide, the committee cited land confiscation, settlement construction, and restrictions on Palestinian development as key factors undermining the resilience of local communities, including Christians whose presence in the region dates back more than two millennia.
The warning follows the recent declassification of an Israeli security cabinet decision approving the construction of 34 new settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Six of the planned settlements are located in the Bethlehem governorate, and the decision also includes the allocation of more than 2.3 billion shekels to support settlement expansion and related infrastructure.
The committee described the move as part of a systematic policy aimed at imposing “facts on the ground” in occupied Palestinian territory.
It said settlement plans in the Bethlehem area seek to expand and connect settlement blocs while isolating the cities of Bethlehem, Beit Jala, and Beit Sahour from their surrounding Palestinian areas.
The plans also involve the seizure of agricultural land, including property belonging to Palestinian Christian families.
According to the statement, the settlement project extends beyond urban development and reflects broader efforts to reshape the geographic and demographic landscape of the occupied territories by linking settlements through road and service networks.
The committee said such measures violate international law and the Fourth Geneva Convention and contradict a 2024 advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice.
It called on church leaders globally to take a clear stance against settlement expansion and annexation policies, urging action to help preserve the Palestinian Christian presence in the Holy Land and to support efforts toward a just peace based on international law.
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