Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Porfirije warned against the exclusion or marginalization of Palestine’s Christian community, which has a history spanning more than 2,000 years.
Patriarch Porfirije, who also serves as head of the Holy Synod, sent the message to Ramzi Huri, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and head of the Higher Presidential Committee for following up on church affairs in Palestine.
The message expressed sadness and concern over the rapid deterioration of the situation of Christians and other communities in the Holy Land. It said that targeting civilians and violating their rights, regardless of their religious or ethnic identity, was contrary to human dignity and international conventions.
Emphasis on the long-established Christian presence
The Serbian Orthodox Church described the Christian presence in Palestine as an inseparable part of the region’s historic and living heritage. It said that excluding any religious or ethnic community could weaken the social and religious balance in the Holy Land and increase tensions in the region.
The message also called for respect for human rights, the principles of international law and religious freedoms.
Developments in the West Bank and East Jerusalem
Palestinian Christians have faced increasing pressure in the West Bank, particularly in East Jerusalem. The message drew attention to attacks by settlers on towns, property and places of worship, as well as Israeli practices affecting the activities of Christian educational institutions in Jerusalem.
In September, the Higher Presidential Committee for following up on church affairs in Palestine called on churches around the world to take urgent action to protect Christian schools in Jerusalem after permits for some teachers and staff from the West Bank were denied or not renewed. In February, the committee said attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinian Christians threatened their historical heritage.
Allegations of attacks in Taybeh
Taybeh, east of Ramallah, is the only Palestinian town in the West Bank inhabited exclusively by Christians. Residents and officials said that access to agricultural land had been blocked in recent months and that people, homes and vehicles had been attacked and property stolen.
The historic Khidr Church was also affected by the attacks; parts of the church were burned and racist slogans were written on its walls. Numerous settlements and agricultural outposts are located around the town.
Five Palestinians killed in attack in Gaza
The developments affecting Palestinian Christians have not been limited to the West Bank and Jerusalem; Christians in the Gaza Strip have also been affected by Israeli operations.
Five Palestinians were killed and six people were injured in an airstrike on a home in western Gaza City on Saturday. Two Christian women were among those killed. The strike occurred as part of continuing violations of the ceasefire agreement in force since October 10, 2025.
