Three individuals have been detained in connection with setting a Christmas tree ablaze and causing damage to a Nativity scene at a Catholic church in the Israeli-controlled West Bank city of Jenin, as reported by the Palestinian Authority Police.

The incident occurred around 3 a.m. on Monday, according to church officials.

On Wednesday, authorities stated the suspects were apprehended following a review of security footage from the Holy Redeemer Church of Jenin. Tools allegedly used in the act were confiscated from the individuals.

The police denounced the act, describing it as an attempt to stir sectarian and religious discord within the West Bank.

Palestinian parishioners examine a newly set up Christmas tree after the previous one was vandalized at the Holy Redeemer Latin Church in Jenin, West Bank, on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025. (AP)

The church shared photos on social media showing the skeleton of a synthetic Christmas tree that had been cleared of the green plastic branches, as red and gold ornaments were seen scattered across the courtyard.

The torched tree was quickly cleaned up by the church, which erected a new one a day after the attack in time for Christmas Mass.

The church held a special ceremony with local Muslim and Christian leaders and politicians in attendance. Rev. Amer Jubran, the local priest at the church, said that the arson was an isolated incident as he emphasized the city’s unity.

“This occasion reaffirmed that attempts to harm religious symbols will never diminish the spirit of the city nor the faith of its people,” the Holy Redeemer Church said in a statement.

Palestinian Authority Police said the trio was taken into custody after a review of surveillance footage. (Getty Images)

The small Christian community in the West Bank is facing increasing threats of extremism from various sides, including both Israeli settlers and Palestinian extremists, prompting them to escape the region.

Christians make up between 1-2% of the West Bank’s roughly 3 million residents, and the vast majority of the community is Muslim. Across the entire Middle East, the Christian population has been declining as people have fled conflict.

In Israel, some church authorities and monitoring groups have documented a recent uptick in anti-Christian sentiment and harassment, including in Jerusalem’s Old City. Extremist Israeli settlers have also reportedly vandalized and torched areas around churches and Christian villages.

Police condemned the apparent attempt to incite sectarian and religious tensions in the West Bank. (Getty Images)

The Israel-Hamas war in Gaza kicked off a surge of violence in the West Bank, with the Israeli military’s offensive targeting terrorists has killed hundreds of Palestinians and displaced tens of thousands. Terrorists have also attacked and killed Israelis in Israel and the West Bank.

The conflict has coincided with an increase in Israeli settler violence and Palestinian attacks on Israelis.