Pax Christi International expresses its deep concern regarding the situation in the Ush Ghurab area on the eastern edge of Beit Sahour, where plans for a new Israeli settlement and related military orders further entrench the occupation and threaten significant areas of land belonging to the local community.

We understand these plans as part of a wider and well-documented pattern of settlement expansion and land appropriation in the occupied Palestinian territory. This pattern fragments Palestinian territory, restricts freedom of movement and development, and gravely undermines the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. It contributes to the consolidation of an unlawful situation on the ground, in violation of international law.

Pax Christi International recalls that a just and sustainable peace cannot be built through settlement expansion and the entrenchment of occupation. Therefore, we call upon:

  • the European Union to ensure coherence between its commitment to international law and its policies and agreements with Israel, including by taking effective measures to prevent trade, cooperation, or funding that may contribute to settlement expansion or the consolidation of occupation in Ush Ghurab and the wider occupied Palestinian territory;
  • the Churches and Church leaders to raise a clear and sustained prophetic voice, to accompany the people of Beit Sahour in solidarity, and to advocate publicly for respect of international law and the protection of the right to land and self-determination;
  • the international community to uphold its legal obligations under international law, including ensuring accountability for serious violations, strengthening protection for civilians under occupation, and supporting concrete measures to halt settlement expansion and land appropriation.