(CP) The Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem issued an urgent call for Israeli authorities to stop a government plan to seize and auction off properties that have been in the possession of the Armenian Christian Patriarchate for over 1,700 years.
The patriarchate is embroiled in a legal battle over an alleged municipal tax debt dating back to 1994. While the Municipality of Jerusalem has issued a foreclosure order for the property located in the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City, the church claims that the debt was imposed arbitrarily by a municipal official without due legal proceedings.
In a joint statement from the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem, church officials condemned what they said is an effort by the Israeli government to "enforce a debt determination without judicial scrutiny, and in defiance of the governmental committee established to negotiate such matters in good faith."
The property tax, known in Israel as the Arnona Tax, is an annual municipal property tax imposed on the residents of the locality. The tax, levied once a year, covers the period from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 of the same year.
But the patriarchate, which claims direct apostolic succession all the way back to James the brother of Jesus, says collecting on an unverified debt "undermines the freedom of religion" and could pose a threat to other Christian institutions in Israel.
"This action undermines the freedom of religion, which is the foundation of all other rights, since through a confiscation of assets, attempts to the right of existence of the Orthodox Armenian Church, depriving it of the necessary economic resources to live and operate and depriving the local Armenian people of the pastoral care of their Church," the statement reads. "This reckless move jeopardizes the Orthodox Armenian Patriarchate and sets a perilous precedent that could imperil Christian institutions throughout the Holy Land."
Quoting from 1 Corinthians 12:26 — "If one member suffers, all suffer together" — the patriarchate called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials to freeze all foreclosure proceedings and help restart talks in order to reach "an amicable solution regarding this issue in the spirit of justice."
In addition to the government's foreclosure threat, the Armenian Patriarchate also saw a surge in attacks on Christians and church properties in Israel in 2023, according to a report last June from the Jerusalem-based inter-religious organization Rossing Center for Education and Dialogue.
On Jan. 28, 2023, two young Jewish men attacked a car carrying two Armenians near an Armenian compound. And when the victims asked why, they were pepper-sprayed in the eyes, according to the Armenian Patriarchate.
The victims received hospital treatment and reported the attack to police. An hour after police apprehended one of the assailants, a large group of young Jewish men tried to climb the patriarchate's building with the intention of removing its flag and the Armenian flag.
Armenian men prevented them from doing so, causing the Jewish group to flee, but some members returned and started provoking the Armenian youth, according to the report.
Christians make up about 1.9% of Israel's population.
