Believers in East Jerusalem, Gaza and West Bank face pressure

A planned “land-grab” of historical church assets in East Jerusalem by Israeli authorities as repayment of allegedly unpaid taxes has been described as an attack on Christianity itself.

While the Armenian Patriarch is understood to be the only Christian community targeted so far, there are fears that seizure of property could expand to other Christian churches and communities including evangelicals if it goes ahead. The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem is challenging the planned foreclosure in court.

Patriarchs and local churches leaders in Jerusalem have appealed to Israel’s prime minister Benjaman Netanyahu to intervene, calling the foreclosure order “unjust” and saying it sets a “perilous precedent” for Christian institutions throughout the Holy Land.