Holy Land: Ceasefire has made things worse in the West Bank

Christian site in West Bank © ACN

Source: Aid to the Church in Need

Christians in the West Bank have experienced increased difficulties since the ceasefire came into effect six weeks ago, according to local sources.

Father Louis Salman, Catholic chaplain for youth in West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem, told Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) that hundreds of checkpoints and other travel restrictions have been introduced, making life in the West Bank even more difficult.

As part of the ceasefire agreement, Israel has committed to releasing more than 600 Palestinian prisoners, many of whom have returned to the West Bank.

Father Salman said: "For us, in the West Bank, the ceasefire has made the situation even worse. Since the ceasefire they have closed even more roads, made travelling even more difficult… Because of the prisoner exchange, they have tightened security."

Sami El-Yousef, chief executive officer at the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem (LPJ), told ACN: "We have seen more annexation of land in the West Bank, as well as the eviction of around 16,000 people from refugee camps in Jenin (the capital city of the surrounding governorate), with the physical infrastructure being razed, so they have nowhere to return to.

"The West Bank is now completely fragmented with 185 gates and over 900 checkpoints, but because of what has been going on in Gaza, none of this gets much international attention."

Mr El-Yousef said: "I don't know how we are still standing. The tide is very much against us."

He added that, despite the ongoing challenges, "as a Church we feel we are stronger than one-and-a-half years ago, specifically because of our contributions to society at large. We were able to maintain our services, expand them at some points and serve Gaza and West Bank communities who were most affected by the war, and we are preparing ourselves to be of more service after the war."

Mr El-Yousef said that the LPJ has provided fresh produce to people in Gaza - including, but not limited to, the 1,000 Christians living there.

He added that much of this work has only been made possible by ACN's help.

He stressed: "The past year and a half solidified what we Christians already knew - that we have friends all over the world, who help us not only with money, but also with moral support."

Father Salman said that an important aspect of his mission as youth chaplain is to give hope to young Christians, emphasising the theme of the Catholic Church's 2025 Jubilee Year.

He added that his aim is to offer the Holy Land's Christian youth "a hope that does not come from politics, but from Jesus.. As Christians from Jesus' homeland, we have a duty to stay here, where he lived, where he died, and where he rose again."

Help from the UK office has gone to the West Bank and East Jerusalem - including refugees from Gaza - but not Gaza itself, as UK counter-terrorism sanctions make it impossible for the UK office to transfer funds into Gaza.

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Aid to the Church in Need: www.acnuk.org