Israeli police said Tuesday that reports of arson at a historic church in the West Bank village of Taybeh are unfounded, countering claims made by Palestinian officials and remarks by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who visited the site over the weekend.
A police statement said a special investigative unit found "no damage was caused to the holy site, and the reports are factually incorrect." The investigation followed media claims that Jewish individuals had set fire to the Church of Saint George in Taybeh, a majority-Christian village near Ramallah.
The incident occurred Saturday, when a fire broke out in an open area near the village. Police said a preliminary probe determined the fire was local in nature and did not harm buildings, agricultural land or infrastructure.
"Contrary to inaccurate reports and foreign media coverage of alleged arson at the historic Church of Saint George, these claims are factually incorrect, lack any evidentiary basis and risk misleading the public," police said.
District Commander Moshe Pinchi ordered the creation of both an investigative team and a review committee, led by the deputy district commander, to assess the police response and internal communications related to the event.
Huckabee made an unannounced visit to Taybeh following early media reports, describing what occurred as “vandalism — including arson — at an ancient church.”
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U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee visiting the Church of Saint George in Taybeh
(Photo: AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)
“The desecration of a church, mosque or synagogue is a crime against humanity and against God,” Huckabee wrote on social media. “What happened here is absolute terror, and I want to do everything I can to ensure that those responsible are found and prosecuted. Reprimands are not enough.”
After the police findings were released, Huckabee issued a clarification, stating that he had not assigned blame for the fire.
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“The investigation found no damage to the ancient church in Taybeh, and the source of the fire remains under investigation,” he said. “I did not attribute the fire to any person or group, as we do not yet know definitively. The media did that. I said that regardless of who is responsible, this is a crime that deserves punishment.”
Taybeh is one of the few majority-Christian villages in the West Bank and is home to several American citizens.