After settlers attacked our church's graveyard, Palestinian Christians like me are living in fear

Last week, Jewish settlers set fire to the graveyard of an ancient church in Taybeh, the last remaining Christian-majority town in the West Bank. Father Bashar Fawadleh explains what it is like to live under the shadow of constant attacks and restrictions, and asks the Church to pray for peace and justice 

Palestinian Christians want to live in peace. But over the past few years, more and more Jewish settlements have occupied land surrounding my city, Taybeh, in the West Bank, A few weeks ago, settlers began to construct a new settlement in the east of Taybeh. Then they came with 20 cows and grazed them among our olive trees, which destroyed the harvest and damaged the trees.

Then, last Monday, settlers started a fire in the cemetery behind the ancient church of St George, which has been here since the 5th century.

The church is an archaeological site, and we use it for services, especially the feasts and procession of Palm Sunday. We gather all together - the three churches, Orthodox, Greek, and Roman Catholic – to celebrate Easter, Christmas, the sacrament of baptism and marriage. We celebrate mass there and go there to light a candle and pray for peace and justice in our city.