Arabic → English transcript

Settlement and occupation are like an octopus and a cancer

The occupation seeks to drive us out of Palestine

It's not just about us as Christians; it's about emptying the Middle East of Christians

This happened less than a week and a half ago

A settlement outpost was established in the western area

Behind the garbage dump

And this affects us

Because it is close to the border of Afra

That means placing a settlement outpost in that area

It means seizing land to expand the Afra settlement

And that is what we do not want

On the lands of Taybeh there are four settlement outposts

Two in the eastern area and two in the western area

This is what worries us, the residents of this area

Not only in Taybeh but also in Rammun, Deir Jarir, and Deir Dibwan

They prevent us from reaching our lands to pick olives

Settlement and occupation are like an octopus and a cancer

They extend and infiltrate into the lands of Palestine and into Taybeh itself

We see a new cow behind me

And it was established several months ago

A Bedouin used to live there first

They drove the Bedouin out of his land and his home.

They took over this area.

They laid claim to all the lands surrounding it.

And since we are approaching in about one and a half months,

the Christmas season,

we are afraid — not out of cowardice, but because we do not want to confront

the rowdy settlers and the violent hilltop youths.

They harass us and beat us and do not care.

They do not heed orders from the army or the police.

Because they are supported by Ben-Gvir and Smotrich.

And at their head is the racist extremist Netanyahu.

This town is surrounded by 15 Muslim villages.

We have good, cordial relations with our neighbors.

They unite us as people of one country.

There is no discrimination or racism among us.

But it is the occupation that plants the seeds of division.

Taybeh has 1,300 inhabitants.

Which equals ten of Taybeh’s residents in the world.

If we want to bring back the people of Taybeh who emigrated,

it is the occupation that seeks to expel us from Palestine.

And not only us as Christians,

but rather to empty the Middle East of Christians.

Let the strong conflict remain between the two religions, Islam and Judaism

This is unacceptable because Palestine was

and will remain and continue to be Christian and Islamic

one unity, one people, one cause

one bread, to breathe fresh air

and drink fresh, sweet water