Christian leaders accused Israeli Jews on Monday of attacking sacred sites in the West Bank, in violence that one said was forcing some to consider leaving the territory.
The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III - visiting the Christian town of Taiba with other Jerusalem-based clerics - said Jewish settlers had started a fire near a cemetery and a 5th-century church there last week.
"These actions are a direct and intentional threat to our local community ... but also to the historic and religious heritage," the patriarch told diplomats and journalists at a press conference in Taiba.
They had also attacked homes in the area, he said.
"We call for an immediate and transparent investigation on why the Israeli police did not respond to emergency calls from the local community and why these abhorrent actions continue to go unpunished," he added.
Israel's government spokesperson did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Israel's government had previously said that any acts of violence by civilians are unacceptable and that individuals should not take the law into their own hands.
During the visit, the heads of the churches led locals in prayer as candles flickered in the ruins of the 5th-century church of St George. They spoke with residents who described their fears.
Violence in the West Bank region escalating
Rights groups have said settler violence in the West Bank has risen since the start of Israel's war against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas in Gaza in late 2023. Dozens of Israelis have also been killed in Palestinian street attacks in recent years, and the IDF has intensified raids across the West Bank.
Palestinian health authorities and witnesses said two men, including a US citizen, were killed by settlers during a confrontation on Friday night.
Fears over violence were pushing Christians to leave the West Bank, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Roman Catholic Patriarch of Jerusalem since 2020, said.
"Unfortunately, the temptation to emigrate is there because of the situation," he added. "This time it's very difficult to see how and when this will finish, and especially for the youth to talk about hope, trust for the future."
Around 50,000 Christian Palestinians live in Jerusalem, and in the West Bank, an area that includes many of the faith's most sacred sites, including Bethlehem, where believers say Jesus was born.