Protect Ancient Christians

The "Protect Ancient Christians" campaign highlights a new Israeli settlement authorized near Bethlehem that threatens the future of Beit Sahour, the "village of the shepherds." This vibrant community of 11,000 Christians lives on the biblically significant site where the Angel Gabriel announced the birth of Christ.
The settlement poses a double threat: the likely sequestration of adjacent land by authorities and the rising danger of violent settler attacks. Residents fear these pressures will make life untenable, forcing a mass exodus. The nearby Christian village of Taybeh serves as a grim precedent, having already faced arson attacks on its 1,600-year-old church and homes.
Beit Sahour remains a vital spiritual hub, home to nine churches and four monasteries, with a Christian presence dating back to the followers of Jesus. If these communities are driven out, the living history and spirit of the Christian faith in the Holy Land may be lost forever.