Jerusalem Patriarchate bank accounts frozen by Israel, Church lands near Jericho targeted for settlement development

JERUSALEM — The Israeli authorities’ decision to freeze the bank accounts of the autocephalous Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and impose heavy taxes on its properties has ignited widespread outrage among church and political circles. Many warn that the move is the latest in a series of escalating pressures targeting the historic Christian presence in the Holy Land.

The Palestinian Presidential Committee for Church Affairs condemned the decision, describing it as a direct threat to the Church’s ability to carry out its spiritual, humanitarian, and communal mission. The Committee stressed that the measures violate the long-standing historical status quo and represent a blatant breach of international law and agreements that guarantee Churches the freedom to manage their internal affairs.

The controversy extends beyond the frozen accounts. According to the Committee, Israeli measures have also targeted Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem lands near the Monastery of Saint Gerasimos (Deir Hajla) in the Jericho area, where authorities have begun advancing settlement plans. The move is widely viewed as an attempt to reshape the region’s demographic and religious landscape.

A spokesperson for the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem said Jerusalem’s religious leaders are holding continuous crisis meetings, warning that the measures constitute a flagrant violation of the city’s historical status quo and international law. He cautioned that if the freeze continues, it could halt vital religious and social services on which thousands of families rely.

Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem and All Palestine and Jordan also denounced the decision, praising Jordan’s support and the Hashemite Custodianship over Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. He described the Custodianship as a crucial safeguard that protects the city’s religious balance and identity.

Palestinian officials and community leaders view the decision as part of a systematic effort to diminish the indigenous Christian presence in Palestine. The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Jerusalem Governorate condemned the freeze as a new crime and an aggressive attempt to disrupt Church operations, accusing Israel of pursuing a broader strategy to Judaize Jerusalem and erase its Christian and Islamic character.

The Presidential Committee called on Churches worldwide to take urgent political, legal, and media action, insisting that protecting the Christian presence in Jerusalem is not only a local responsibility but also a global and historical duty.

This is not the first time the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate has faced such measures. In 2018, Israeli authorities seized properties and accounts worth over 30 million shekels (about $8.5 million) in what Church leaders described as an unprecedented attempt to impose retroactive taxes.

Today’s freezing of accounts is seen as a renewed escalation, adding fuel to already tense debates over Jerusalem’s identity and future. While Church leaders warn of existential threats to their presence, Israeli authorities continue to impose new realities on the ground, leaving the Holy City once again at the heart of a confrontation that transcends religion and strikes at the core of the region’s political and humanitarian balance.