The Heads of Churches in Jerusalem and the World Council of Churches (WCC) have accused authorities in Jerusalem of a "blatant attack on religious freedom" over plans to foreclose on the city’s Armenian Patriarchate.
The Orthodox Armenian Patriarchate in East Jerusalem warned this week that Israel intended to confiscate its properties, claiming unpaid debts accrued over the last 30 years.
Writing on X, the organisation said it had been targeted with "crippling taxes" which were being "unjustly levied". It went on to describe the situation as a "crushing threat" that "can become a precedent set against ALL Christian Communities of Jerusalem".
A petition is due to be heard next week.
The group warned that if the petition is thrown out, the Jewish Municipality would seize its properties and put them up for auction.
The plans are said to pose an "existential threat" to the Armenian Christian Quarter which has had a presence in the Old City for more than 1700 years and which is one of the most historically significant communities in the Holy Land.
The Patriarchs and Heads of Local Churches are urging Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to intervene and freeze the foreclosure proceedings. In a statement, they described the move as "reckless" and said it "sets a perilous precedent" that could "imperil Christian institutions throughout the Holy Land".
The WCC’s General Secretary Prof Dr Jerry Pillay said it stands in solidarity with the Armenian Patriarchate: “We denounce this act as a blatant attack on religious freedom and an alarming violation of the historic Status Quo that governs the Holy Sites of Jerusalem…
“For centuries, the Armenian Patriarchate, alongside other Christian institutions, has safeguarded the sacred heritage of the Holy Land, serving as a beacon of faith, community service, and justice…
“This reckless action is part of a wider pattern of increasing pressures, land disputes, and acts of intimidation targeting Christian communities in the Holy City—acts that the WCC has repeatedly condemned,” he said. “We call upon the Israeli government to immediately freeze the foreclosure proceedings and uphold the internationally recognized Status Quo of Jerusalem.”
The petition is due to be heard on Monday 24th February.