AhlulBayt News Agency: Palestinian sources have confirmed that Israeli occupation authorities have frozen the bank accounts of the Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem and imposed excessive taxes on its properties, prompting widespread condemnation and warnings about the implications of this move.
The Supreme Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine stated that Israeli authorities have blocked the financial accounts of the Orthodox Patriarchate and levied heavy taxes on its assets.
In a letter sent on Friday to churches worldwide, the committee described the Israeli actions as a serious threat to the Church’s ability to deliver spiritual, humanitarian, and community services.
The committee emphasized that this measure violates the historical status quo and breaches international law and existing agreements.
It also noted that the attacks go beyond financial restrictions, citing ongoing settler expansion targeting lands around St. Gerasimos Monastery (Deir Hajla) near Jericho.
“These actions are part of a broader occupation strategy aimed at changing Jerusalem’s identity and erasing its religious and cultural heritage, ultimately weakening the Palestinian presence in the city,” the committee stated.
The committee warned of an unprecedented campaign against churches in the Holy Land, with the Orthodox Patriarchate being a primary target, and said these efforts are part of a systematic policy to diminish the Christian presence and eliminate religious institutions in Palestine.
It urged churches and Christian organizations around the world to take immediate political, legal, and media steps to stop these violations and protect the Church’s mission, calling it a shared responsibility and a sacred trust.
Meanwhile, the Jerusalem Governorate condemned the Israeli actions as a “new crime and a dangerous escalation” aimed at disabling the Church’s functions and altering the identity of Jerusalem.
In a statement issued Saturday, the governorate said the decision is a clear violation of the historical status quo, an attack on religious freedom, and a breach of international law and agreements that protect churches’ autonomy.
The statement concluded that these measures are part of a broader plan to Judaize Jerusalem and erase its Arab, Islamic, and Christian identity, alongside intensified settlement expansion around the holy city.
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