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.
It’s not the first time Palestinian church leaders have appealed directly to Netanyahu. Last year they wrote to him saying Israeli authorities were threatening to increase property taxation, and start legal action if they failed to pay, in a “coordinated attack on the Christian presence in the Holy Land.”
Rifat Kassis of Kairos Palestine said the Israeli government’s policies and actions toward historic Christian properties in occupied Jerusalem have raised “significant concerns among Palestinian Christian communities”.
“This move threatens not only the Armenian Christian heritage but also poses a broader risk to other churches and all faith-based communities in the Holy Land,” he added. “Church leaders have united in protest.”
Kassis said: “We can only view this situation as a form of persecution aimed at further marginalising Christian communities … Many Palestinian Christians believe they are among the most unwelcome communities in Israeli-occupied areas, due to their ability to connect with their brothers and sisters in the West and share the truth about what is happening in Palestine.”
Church leaders in Jerusalem recently issued a statement pleading with the international community to “act swiftly and decisively” to halt the “catastrophe” of mass displacement and uprooting the people of Gaza from their land. They added: “As Christians, we cannot be indifferent to such suffering, for the gospel commands us to uphold the dignity of every human being.”
Speaking exclusively to en, Kassis also spoke of the situation facing Christians in Gaza and on the West Bank.
“The Christian population in Gaza and the West Bank continues to face mounting pressures. In Gaza, the community has dwindled to approximately 1,100 individuals as of 2022, down from over 2,000 in 2014. Today they are less than 600,” he said.
“In the West Bank, Christians – who numbered around 47,000 according to a 2017 census – are facing escalating violence and harassment, particularly following the events of 7 October. This surge in violence, driven by the Israeli army and the criminal settlers and intensified military incursions, has created a climate of fear and insecurity, pushing many to consider emigration.
“Palestinian Christians, like their Muslim counterparts, are subjected to relentless settler attacks, including physical assaults, vandalism of churches and religious sites, destruction of property, and intimidation tactics designed to force them out of their homes. Settlers, backed and protected by Israeli security forces, have stormed Christian neighbourhoods, desecrated religious symbols, and carried out acts of arson against many churches.
“Shockingly, the number of illegal Israeli settlers in Bethlehem today nearly equals the number of Palestinian residents, eroding what was once a predominantly Palestinian Christian and Muslim community.
“This systematic pressure – through violence, illegal policies, and land appropriation – has led to a sharp decline in the Palestinian Christian population over the years.”
● A few weeks ago Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said 40,000 Palestinians had been moved out of three refugee camps in order “to prevent … the resurgence of terrorism.” Many Palestinian homes have also been raided and critical infrastructure bulldozed.
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