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CV NEWS FEED // Christian leaders in the Holy Land are raising alarm over renewed efforts by Israeli authorities to impose taxes on church properties, a move they say threatens their institutions and the vital services they provide.
According to a March 11 press release from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), the dispute has primarily focused on the Armenian Patriarchate but also has broader implications for Catholic and Greek Orthodox institutions. The Jerusalem Municipality has issued a foreclosure order against the Armenian Apostolic Church over alleged unpaid taxes, which, if enforced, could result in the city seizing church property.
The patriarchs and heads of local churches in Jerusalem issued a statement Feb. 19 condemning the Jerusalem Municipality’s attempt to collect municipal taxes, known as “Arnona,” calling the action “legally dubious and morally unacceptable.”
“The targeting of one Church is an assault on all,” their statement read, “and we cannot remain silent while the foundations of our Christian witness in the land of Christ’s ministry are shaken.”
They called on Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials to intervene, freeze all foreclosure proceedings, and resume negotiations to resolve the dispute.
Under the long-established “status quo” arrangement — an understanding that governs religious sites and institutions dating back to the Ottoman era — churches have traditionally been exempt from such taxation.
However, according to Sami el-Yousef, CEO of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, no law explicitly grants churches tax exemptions.
“If we go to court, we will likely lose, so this issue requires a political solution,” he told ACN. “But all the churches will go bankrupt if we have to pay according to the law.”
The Armenian Patriarchate has rejected the foreclosure order as an unjust action that disregards due process. Church officials argue that the municipality’s tax claims include properties that are actually leased to the local government, which itself owes significant amounts in overdue rent. They further claim that the collection officer handling the case has acted without judicial oversight.
In a statement, the Patriarchate accused the official of serving the municipality’s interests while acting as “the plaintiff, the judge, and the executor, all in one.”
Catholic institutions also have been targeted. In Haifa, the Latin Patriarchate’s schools had their bank accounts frozen due to tax claims, forcing church officials to negotiate a reduced payment. El-Yousef explained that the final settlement lowered the amount from more than two million shekels to 500,000 shekels (approximately $146,000 USD), with the agreement referring to the payment as a “municipal contribution” rather than a tax. Despite this concession, church officials remain concerned about future financial pressures.
George Akroush, director of the Latin Patriarchate’s project development office, stressed that churches provide essential services that the state would struggle to replace.
“There are not enough schools, elderly homes, centers for people with disabilities, orphanages, cultural centers, hospitals or other social services to serve the population,” he explained, warning that imposing taxes on church institutions “would cease several vital services provided to the poorest of the poor, and they will be the ones who suffer.”
