US Amb. Huckabee denounces ‘sacrilege’ of alleged church arson on visit to Palestinian Christian village Taybeh

Peloni:  As in all things, the law must be followed and accountability must be had for transgressions, but it seems that Huckabee has come to a conclusion as to the outcome of the still ongoing investigation while also calling for it. And while it is important for justice to be pursued, there is a caveat to be noted when accepting the testimony of Eastern Christians as the only source

Eastern Christians stand as pawns to their local masters, much as the Jews of Iran stand today condemning Israel and America for their actions in Iran. And notably, the anti-Israeli and anti-American sentiments of these captured Christians remains a continuous and useful tool of the foes of both Israel and America when Western Christians/politicians pretend that the Eastern Christians could possibly be honest about anything which does not support their local master’s interests. In the current scenario of what took place in Taybeh, those masters are the PA, led by the terror cabal known as Fatah and its illegitimate leadership headed by Abu Mazen.

So the animosity of Eastern Christians in the PA controlled territories for both Jews and Americans should be understood to be both real and significant to the degree it advantages the anti-Israeli, anti-American interests of the PA terrorists.

Hence, the apparent rush to judgement which Huckabee seems to characterize his many statements over the past week would seem to be both drawing a conclusion from, and calling for, the still ongoing investigations based on his interviews with the PA controlled Taybeh.

The fact that Huckabee is giving support to claims of captured anti-Western Christians is both disturbing and unique among Huckabee’s previous commentaries, suggesting it should be sourced above Huckabee’s pay-grade.

While the greatest pushback against the false reports of “Settler Violence” to date has recently been put forward as explained by Regavim’ Naomi Kahn, it is worrisome to see Huckabee taking an uncharacteristicly and openly hostile position to Israel in a rush to judgement over an issue which is still under investigation.

PM Netanyahu talks to Pope Leo, sends ‘heartfelt condolences’ to killed Christians

Screengrab by Youtube

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee demanded “harsh consequences” for the perpetrators of a fire that lightly damaged a church last week as he visited the village of Taybeh, the last majority-Christian village in the West Bank.

Huckabee’s visit on Saturday followed the revelation of his unusually harsh criticism toward Israel on Thursday, and his denunciation of the recent killing of an American-Palestinian, which he called “terrorism.”

He repeated this choice of words on Saturday, as he told residents and local leaders that “any desecration to a holy place – it doesn’t matter whether it’s a church, a mosque, or a synagogue – it’s unacceptable. To commit an act of sacrilege by desecrating a place that is supposed to be a place of worship, it is an act of terror, and it is a crime.”

In additional posts on ?, Huckabee noted that Taybeh is a “quiet village” with a lot of American residents, adding, “I work for ALL American citizens who live in Israel-Jewish, Muslim or Christian. When they are terrorized or victims of crime I will demand those responsible be held accountable w/real consequences.”

In a separate statement published via the State Department, Huckabee said, “There should be consequences, and it should be harsh consequences because it is one of the last bastions of our civilization, the places where we worship.”

“What has happened here is an absolute travesty, and it’s my desire to do everything possible to let the people of this peaceful village know that we will certainly insist that those who carry out acts of terror and violence in Taybeh – or anywhere – be found and be prosecuted.”

Hinting at criticism of the Israeli security system’s response to the incident, he added, “Not just reprimanded, that’s not enough. People need to pay a price for doing something that destroys that which belongs, not just to other people, but that which belongs to God.”

Huckabee has been a vocal supporter of Israel’s right to the biblical land of Judea and Samaria (West Bank) throughout his life, lending his visit and choice of words particular weight.

The greater area of Taybeh, which lies several kilometers northeast of the Palestinian Authority’s capital Ramallah, has been the scene of escalating violence between radical settler groups and local residents in recent weeks.

Several cases of arson, which damaged the church and the nearby cemetery, were blamed on Jewish settlers by Palestinians.

Israel’s ambassador to the Vatican, Yaron Sideman, stated last week, “We take incidents such as the reported attack on the village of Taybeh very seriously and are thoroughly examining the circumstances. If a crime was committed, it will be fully investigated, and those responsible will be brought to justice.”

The fire was sharply condemned by local church leaders as well as King Abdullah II of Jordan.

Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem and the Catholic Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, called the settler attacks a threat to Christian heritage in the region, and demanded an investigation into the lack of response by Israeli authorities.

Relations between Israel and the Christian world significantly deteriorated in recent weeks amid several incidents involving local Christians.

On Friday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Catholic Pope Leo to again express “Israel’s regret for the tragic incident in which stray ammunition accidentally struck the Holy Family Church in Gaza. He sent Israel’s heartfelt condolences for the families of those hurt in the incident.”

The prime minister’s office added that Netanyahu also updated the pope “on Israel’s efforts to secure a hostage release deal and a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, efforts that have so far not been reciprocated by Hamas.”

July 20, 2025 | 23 Comments »

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  1. Police: Claims Israelis set fire to Taybeh church completely false

    The police investigation into accusations Jewish extremists committed arson at the archaeological site of the Church of Saint George were false and ‘mislead the public.’

    The Israel Police announced this evening (Monday) that following an investigation into reports of arson by alleged Jewish extremists at the archaeological site of the Church of Saint George in the village of Taybeh, the reports were found to be false.

    “Contrary to false reports and following recent foreign media coverage regarding the alleged arson within the archaeological site of the Church of Saint George in the village of Taybeh, we wish to clarify that these reports are factually incorrect, lack any evidentiary basis, and risk misleading the public,” the Police Spokesperson stated.

    The Commander of the Judea and Samaria District has assigned the investigation to a special investigative team within the Judea and Samaria Central Investigations Unit (YAMAR). In addition, last Thursday, the District Commander appointed an internal review committee led by the Deputy District Commander. The committee is tasked with examining the sequence of events in the police information systems, including the reports and complaints submitted, the response to the incident, and drawing conclusions, in parallel with the ongoing investigation.

    Findings gathered on the ground unequivocally show that no damage or harm was caused to the church site itself.

    Crime Against God’: Amb. Huckabee visits PA village near torched church
    Huckabee visited the village of At-Taybeh near Ramallah, where churches were set on fire, and stated that “desecrating a church, mosque, or synagogue is a crime against God.”

    The United States Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, made a rare visit today (Saturday) to the Palestinian village of At-Taybeh, located east of Ramallah, near Jerusalem.

    At the end of his visit, the ambassador tweeted that it is a “quiet village, with many American citizens, affected by vandalism – including arsons at an ancient church. Desecrating a church, mosque, or synagogue is a crime against humanity and against God.”

    I work for ALL American citizens who live in Israel-Jewish, Muslim or Christian. When they are terrorized or victims of crime I will demand those responsible be held accountable with real consequences. Was in Taybeh today to meet with people of that village to listen & learn.”

    At the end of the visit, he issued a special statement to the village: “Thank you to the people of Taybeh for giving us the opportunity to come and see first-hand some of the things that have happened.”

    One thing that we strongly agree on is that any desecration to a holy place – it doesn’t matter whether it’s a church, a mosque, or a synagogue – it’s unacceptable. To commit an act of sacrilege by desecrating a place that is supposed to be a place of worship, it is an act of terror, and it is a crime. There should be consequences, and it should be harsh consequences because it is one of the last bastions of our civilization, the places where we worship.”….”


    My comment: With friends like this…

    https://www.israelnationalnews.com/ Israel News | Israel National News

  2. Email received from Gerald A. Honigman:

    Friends…

    IsraPundit’s editor/publisher’s preliminary remarks are right on the money, and are akin to accepting Gaza “independent” health official casualty reports (never mentioning if they included armed Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and just ordinary armed Arab Jew-hating combatants among those numbers) as accurate, with not investigating them independently. Hamas either approves or actually appoints such officials.

    Peloni then mentions the loyalty of many or most Arab Christians to the PLO/PA/Fatah Jew-murdering organization which arch terrorist, Egyptian born Yasir Arafat formed.

    In the past, many of such accusations against Jews and Israel proved to be false…and were indeed due to Arab Muslims instead.

    Peloni points out the vulnerability such Eastern Christians feel living in Arab and other Arabized Muslim lands.

    Hundreds of black African Christians have recently been beheaded by Arabized black African jihadis in Boko Haram and other such groups.

    My own earlier “Arafat’s Jesus” explains this as well…the particular animus many Arab Christians feel towards Israel, perhaps due to their own precarious situation living among the majority supremacist Muslims who rule them, and thus willingness to blame Jews for what others have committed.

    This is not to say that perhaps on this rare occasion some Jew or Jews did not commit this tragic act, but it is to say that an otherwise wise Ambassador Huckabee should not rush to judgment before the investigation is complete.

    I promise that you won’t regret reading “Arafat’s Jesus” if I can find it:

    https://www.mideasttruth.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=38

    https://www.israpundit.org/us-amb-huckabee-denounces-sacrilege-of-alleged-church-arson-on-visit-to-palestinian-christian-village-taybeh/

    Also recall that years ago Israel was accused of desecrating the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

    It turned out that Arafat’s Fatah terrorists, after attacking Jewish civilians, had taken it over and used it as refuge and base of operations. His pals deliberately defecated all over the church, etc.

    See this next related story as well:

    “Palestinian Arab ethnic cleansing of Christians in the Holy Land”| Israel National News

    Source: Israel National News

    https://share.google/GvQp1y3LP9EgoLb60

  3. Muslim faith/ ideology/theology is antithetical to America’s founding principles and values, completely incompatible, Mikey Hucksterbee is WRONG to say he represents Muslims.

  4. Peloni

    You write

    “So the animosity of Eastern Christians in the PA controlled territories for both Jews and Americans should be understood to be both real and significant to the degree it advantages the anti-Israeli, anti-American interests of the PA terrorists. ”

    As regards the jihad against the Jews represented by what jihadism has INVENTED the term of “occupation ” which is a devious term. Right from the get go the Jews have not been occupying anything, they have actually defending against the jihad.

    Like the Alawites under Assad, the Druze, and countless others including the Serbian people under Slobodan Milosevic, to this day

    And America it is who has always been pulling the jihadl strings…in Yugoslavia as in the West Bank creation.

    • The war launched by America and Britain using the Neonazis in Ukraine to dismember Russia MUST NOT BE SEEN AS SEPARATE but merged into this jihad against Israel.

      Wasn’t the Muslim Jihad in league with the Germans in carrying out the Holocaust…the acknowledged leader of jihad was the Mufti of Jerusalem.

  5. Laura has said she thinks that Hamas was present inside of that Catholic Church. It is almost certain they were. Do you understand the term dhimmi. The Christian Arabs are dhimmis and they are under the thumb of Islam. One of the conditions of not having head separated from body at the neck is to show they hate the Jew. Pope Francis, and the present pope also are dhimmis. Netanyahu and a large part of his Government (the majority of it) are playing the role of dhimmis. They accede to the demand of Trump when it is very far from clear that the Hamas inside that church didn’t create the false flag, which they do by second nature, and before the IDF inquiry is completed. It is repeat of Israeli bosses role over many years, most notably the case of Mohamed el Dura. The charge against Netanyahu is old and is caving in to pressure from America. In this case however Trump is very well practiced and the Red Flag is his second nature. ..The shooting of Trump just pre election the most preposterous red flags yet. So on every front and in every way the Jews once again as in time of Hitler being set up to fall at the hands of the bloodthirsty jihadists. This now becomes issue number 1 for every real socialist who follows today the principles of Lenin d Troysky.

  6. A set-up!
    A trap!
    Huck knows better not to rush to conclusion!
    He just arrived and needs to learn the concept of TAQIYYA!
    Obama is an expert in taqiyya!
    Now religious extremist exists!

  7. Sebastien Zorn

    “Peloni Thanks. Actually, I think it deserves its own post. Nobody else, to my knowledge, is refuting these blood libels with the hard facts. Avi Abelow is a treasure. What do you think?

    But why nobody else

    That’s the real question you and israpundit must answer

  8. I warned folks that the Trump administration could not be trusted. You dismissed me as having TDS. What I didn’t realize is that neither can Evangelical Christians be trusted. I thought they were solid supporters of Israel as a Jewish state. I was warned by Jewish liberals that they have ulterior motives. I’m sad to say that they are probably correct. It would appear that the Evangelicals want to drive the Jews out of Israel in order for Christians to take over or convert most of Israeli Jews. Huckabee should have given the Jewish residents of Judea-Samaria the benefit of the doubt, but he hasn’t, which should tell us all we need to know about him. He also didn’t give the benefit of the doubt when it came to the shooting of the so-called “American palestinian” who was a jihadist terrorist. Much to my despair Huckabee has turned out to be a wolf in sheeps clothing as have the Evangelicals in general.

    • @Laura

      You dismissed me as having TDS.

      I would argue that this is still the case, with all due respect. You challenge Trump using Never Trumper rhetoric without any fair basis of support for your conclusions against him at the time, which is why I argued then and now your distrust of Trump was based on other matters.

      What I didn’t realize is that neither can Evangelical Christians be trusted.

      This is untrue and unfair. Evangelical Christians are and will remain Israel’s greatest allies, period.

      Huckabee should have given the Jewish residents of Judea-Samaria the benefit of the doubt

      He should have, but this wasn’t about Huckabee, and it wasn’t about the residents of Judea and Samaria. It is about Trump and Bibi.

    • Sorry, Laura, but it is not true that any Christians, Evangelical or otherwise, want to drive the Jews out of Israel. As a Christian Zionist myself I support the Jews’ right to live in Israel, because it is the land that was given to them by G-d. And no Christian I have ever known – and that’s a lot, because I’m 80 years old! – has ever expressed the wish to rid Israel of Jews. It is quite the reverse. We all support the Jews’ right to live in Israel free from terror attacks and free from hostility of any kind. We love the Jewish people.

      It’s true that some Christians want to convert Jews, but they are far fewer in number than those like me, who recognize that Jews have their own covenant with G-d, and that covenant can never be annulled.

      I’m also a Catholic, and the teaching that Jews must be respected and not made the targets of hatred or attempts to convert is part of our official doctrine. Saint John Paul II made sure that this teaching was written down and made known to all Catholics.

      We Christian Zionists donate a lot of money and volunteer our time to support Israel and fight antisemitism. Please learn your facts before you make these unfounded accusations.

      • I stand corrected and clearly the Qatari bought and paid for “conservative” “news” outlets and podcasters and social media personalities are not genuine Christians.

  9. I don’t ee that the PM need abase himself before the representative nemesis of ALL Jews born , unborn , and deceased.

    There’s an ambassador there and his condolences should have been more than enough. Jews know well enough NEVER to interfere with anything Christian, except in a helpful way else the whole Jewish world would suffer .

    Huckabee should be called in and the PM put him straight on the instant, for unfounded criticism and putting Jews world wise in danger. He should be asked to announce a SINCERE retraction.

    He could also be asked WHY he did it so surely and hurridly.

  10. Avi Abelow on FB:

    Now the haters on the Christian right are piling on with Jew-hatred, fueled by recent headlines out of Israel. This is very bad news, and deeply worrying.

    Let me set the record straight, because the truth matters.

    Last week, a fire broke out near the Christian village of Taybeh in Samaria. Yes, the village cemetery suffered some damage. But here’s what the media won’t say: the fire started as Arab arsonists set Jewish agricultural fields on fire. Israeli Jews, the so-called “settlers” and “hilltop youth” tried to put the fire out. But it spread, and sadly, it reached the cemetery.

    And yet, the world rushed to blame the Jews. No evidence. No investigation. Just the usual lazy slander: “It must be the settlers.” Because that’s the Arab PR narrative, and too many people — even Christian conservatives — are swallowing it whole.

    The only confirmed arsonists here are the Arab rioters. The only video footage shows Jews trying to stop the fire.

    This is the upside-down world we live in, where facts are ignored, and Jews are guilty until proven innocent… and even then, still guilty.

    And then there’s the story of a single Catholic church in Gaza that was damaged, accidentally, during intense urban warfare in the most terror-saturated area on earth, where Hamas has built tunnels under churches, hospitals, schools, homes, mosques and Churches.

    That’s all it took for the antisemites to come out foaming, from D.C. to TikTok, from parliaments to pews, screaming “genocide,” as Hamas slaughters Jews and hides behind their own civilians, yet Jews are being labeled the anti-Christian killers.

    There is no other people on earth, past or present, who are so widely, viciously, and openly slandered as the Jewish people are today.

    And for what?

    For doing everything possible to prevent another October 7th.

    For protecting our children.

    For trying to stop a genocide against the Druze in Syria, while the so-called “moral” world stays silent, including the Christian world.

    But the latest blood libel takes it even further.

    An Arab Muslim teenager, who also held U.S. citizenship, was involved in a violent mob attack where Arabs were stoning Jews. During the chaos, he ended up dead. Tragic? Absolutely. But now, without investigation or proof, the Arab narrative blames “the settlers” for beating him to death.

    And who is amplifying this lie?

    Conservatives, conservative news outlets and even Trump administration officials who have accepted this version as fact, requesting investigation, and allowing Americans to believe that the settlers are responsible.

    Understand, we all want the truth. But since when is the Arab version of events accepted as gospel, especially when history shows how often they’ve manufactured blood libels in this Gaza war to demonize Jews? It’s a whole industry called Pallywood! Fake news stories, fake video reports, staged events for the mainstream media to show on nightly news to bash the Jews and the Jewish state of Israel.

    They’ve done it before. They’re doing it now.

    And suddenly, we’re seeing an explosion of “Christian victim” stories: churches, cemeteries, false claims of Jewish attacks.

    This is not a coincidence.

    Let’s connect the dots: This is a coordinated campaign to sever U.S. Christian support for Israel.

    And guess who’s funding it?

    Qatar.

    They’ve poured billions into U.S. influence operations, from universities to Trump supporting, conservative social media influencers to conservative media outlets, all becoming sympathetic and listening to marching orders from a regime that backs Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood.

    Qatar knows exactly where Israel’s strongest support base is: among American Christians. So they are flooding the zone with lies, packaging old blood libels in new language, to fracture that alliance.

    Meanwhile, Israel remains the ONLY country in the Middle East that:

    Protects Christians, where Christians can live with freedom and equality.

    Rescues Druze from jihadist slaughter in Syria.

    Provides freedom of worship to all — Muslim, Christian, Jew.

    And still, we are the ones being demonized?

    To my Christian brothers and sisters: it’s time to wake up.

    Don’t be manipulated and don’t let your friends and faith community be manipulated.

    Ask who benefits from these narratives. Ask who’s funding them. Ask why every story conveniently paints Jews as aggressors, even when there is no evidence.

    This is not just about Israel. This is about truth. And this will come back to bite all Christians as well.

    Because the hatred aimed at Jews today, and aimed at other minorities in the Middle East including Christians, will also be aimed at Christians in the West tomorrow. It always is.

    First they come for the Saturday people. Then for the Sunday people.

    So I say this again, with love but with urgency:

    Push back. Speak the truth. Stand for decency.

    Because the hate against Jews is spreading, while generating sypmathy for the jihadis. And if everyday people don’t demand the truth, this will become another shameful chapter in history , one your children will ask about and wonder, “Why didn’t they speak up?”

    If you’ve followed me, you know I don’t stay silent. Not when it’s unpopular. Not when it’s costly. Not when it puts me at risk.

    Because I was raised to believe in truth, in freedom, and in the responsibility to act when evil spreads.

    These blood libels have happened to us Jews plenty of times throughout history, including the horrendous blood libel during the Middle Ages that Jews used the blood of Christian babies for baking matzas.

    This time is different. This time, we Jews are standing and fighting back — sovereign and strong in our homeland.

    But make no mistake: this campaign of hate is building toward something.

    And unless you, my Christian friends of conscience, power, and influence, speak up now, it will come for you too.

    We Jews are not the enemy.

    The jihadists are. The manipulators are. The liars are.

    Stand with us. Stand for truth. Speak up.

    Before the lies become law.
    Before history repeats itself.
    Again.

    As I always say: We Jews, back as a sovereign people in our ancestral homeland, will survive.

    October 7th woke us up. It shattered illusions. It reminded us exactly what kind of evil, genocidal enemy we are up against. And we will never again be caught sleeping.

    But the real question is this:

    Will the West survive?

    Will Christians, Americans, Europeans, those still clinging to the false comfort of denial, and influenced by Muslim money, survive the tsunami of jihadism that’s already on its way?

    Because while Israel is wide awake, alert, and ready to defend itself, much of the West is still sleepwalking… straight into the same fire.

    History has shown us: evil ignored is evil empowered.

    The time to wake up is now.

    And one final question — maybe the most important of all:

    Will the Jews wake up?

    Will they finally recognize that the hatred isn’t just coming from one direction, it’s coming from the “progressive”, really regressive, left, the right, and increasingly from the growing Muslim influence in America and across the West?

    This isn’t a passing storm. Things are going to get worse.

    So I say it plainly, from the heart:

    Come home.
    Come to Israel.
    Because no matter where you were born, Israel is home.
    And it’s the only place where we, the Jewish people, will stand together, defend each other, and write our own future, as free Jews in our own land. Not just to escape the coming tsunami, but to be part of writing our glorious future.

    For more inspiring, politically incorrect truth, updates from Israel, join our upcoming Pulse of Israel conference on July 29th, either live at the Begin Center or livestreamed all across the world. Registration link in comment.

  11. @Peloni I posted Avi Abelow’s refutation under the article about Huckabee accusing Israel of visa restrictions on Evangelicals. It should go here. When I clicked on the article title, it said page not found. This is a blood libel. If Huckabee is going to keep this new pattern of betrayal up, he should resign. I can’t begin to express my disappointment in him. Israel is a sovereign state. How dare he?

    • @Sebastien
      Ok, I moved it.

      If Huckabee is going to keep this new pattern of betrayal up, he should resign.

      To be clear, this is coming from Trump. Huckabee is simply acting as Trump’s voice, as his ambassador should to the limit of his ability to do so in good conscience…so yes, he should resign.