Israeli military closes West Bank village of Taybeh – SABC News – Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader.

Israel’s military says it has closed the West Bank village of Taybeh to non-residents, saying it aimed to prevent growing attacks on Palestinians by Israeli settlers across the West Bank.

The military said that the order only applies to Israelis and not Palestinians.

Taybeh is one of the only Christian villages remaining in the West Bank and was visited last year by the Greek Orthodox patriarch and the Roman Catholic cardinal of Jerusalem.

Ohad is an Israeli activist staying at Taybeh to support Palestinians.

“The new military zone order was issued to kick us (activists) out of here. We’ve been here trying to protect this family and a lot of other families around Taybeh from the settlers and their violence. They are constantly trying to penetrate into their homes and into their compounds with their herds of goats and sheep and make a mess inside the house for the family to leave. The new military zone actually came about after we have been in several accidents of us clashing with those settlers.”

Israeli military closes Palestinian Christian village Taybeh, citing settler attacks https://t.co/pmAOwuOztk https://t.co/pmAOwuOztk