The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), an organisation that regularly speaks out at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, has expressed “grave concern” about the suffering of Palestinians, including Christians, in the West Bank.

In the region between the River Jordan and the Dead Sea, home to some 3 million Palestinians, “abuses” are being committed that must stop, said Markus Hofer, spokesperson for the WEA, in his address to the assembly.

All Evangelical Focus news and opinion, on your WhatsApp

The global evangelical organisation made its statement on 22 September during the general debate on human rights situations. In the address, its spokesperson expressed “grave concern over escalating Israeli settler violence and military operations in the occupied West Bank, which are contributing to the dispossession and displacement of Palestinians, including Christians”.

[photo_footer] Excerpt of the WEA statement at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, on 22 September 2026.  [/photo_footer] 

During the plenary session, Hofer cited Taybeh – “the West Bank’s last predominantly Christian village” – as an example of the seriousness of the situation. There, residents suffer “repeated settler incursions, intimidation, damage to property, fires, and attempts to take control of privately owned land”.

In 2026, “in May, settlers reportedly established a new outpost near the village. In August, residents continued to report attacks on homes and property and obstruction of access to their land. Settlers have intensified efforts to seize land—first by setting up tents, then by building houses, and ultimately by expanding settlements. Credible reports that Israeli authorities and military forces provide vehicles, drones and weapons to settlers are deeply troubling. These annexation plans are detrimental to both Israelis and Palestinians”.

“Every person has right to live safely in peace on their land”

The World Evangelical Alliance seeks to represent 160 million evangelical Christians from a variety of denominations, including national Evangelical Alliances present in most countries around the world.

From this biblical perspective, the spokesperson told the UN that, “as Christians, we believe that every person has equal dignity and the right to live safely in peace on their land”.

Israel, the WEA statement concluded, must “uphold its obligations under international law, protect Palestinian civilians, prevent settler violence, ensure accountability for abuses, and halt settlement expansion and the appropriation of Palestinian land”.

Botrus Mansour: “Enourmous damage”

The WEA’s General Secretary, Botrus Mansour, is an Arab evangelical Christian born in Nazareth. In an interview with Evangelical Focus in March 2026, he lamented the “enormous damage” caused by the war in Israel “on every front: spiritual, social and psychological, in addition to the immense harm across the entire region and especially in Gaza”.

He also urged people not to link the conflicts in the Middle East to theological eschatology, something he described as “highly problematic”, because it “makes evangelicals appear detached” from the reality on the ground.

[analysis]

[title] Do you see a need for this kind of journalism? [/title]

[text] Evangelical Focus is a network of many people in Europe and beyond who strive to bring a uniquely Christian perspective to the big issues of conversation.

Through news, interviews, opinion and analysis, we seek to build bridges between evangelical churches and the societies in which they live.

As a non-profit entity, the big challenge is to be sustainable, month by month. We invite you to make a difference! Join the readers who make Evangelical Focus possible.

[/text][/analysis]