The municipality of Taybeh, the last all-Christian Arab village under Palestinian Authority auspices, told American citizens or permanent residents to document any attacks or property damage allegedly committed by nearby Israelis.
The call last week came in preparation for a lawsuit that the village said it will file in the United States against “settlers,” who commit attacks, and American organizations that fund them.
“Please come to the municipality to register your names and the damage you have incurred, as we are in the process of filing a civil case in the United States concerning these damages and concerning the American institutions that support these assaults,” the village said on Sept. 1.
The village directed residents to Olive Branch Funding Group, a Palestinian-American organization represented by the lawyer Jonathan Kuttab, “which is prepared to cover the full expenses of this case.”
The U.S. State Department sanctioned Al-Haq, of which Kuttab is co-founder, in September for engaging in “efforts by the International Criminal Court to investigate, arrest, detain or prosecute Israeli nationals without Israel’s consent.”
Among the impacts of those sanctions was the loss of U.S.-based donations and employees with American citizenship.
Taybeh is located northeast of Ramallah and has a population of around 1,300. Its residents claim to be under constant attack from nearby Israelis.
Last month, the Israeli military issued an order declaring Taybeh a closed military zone for non-residents through July 2027.
