The extremist Zionist authorities in Israel froze all bank accounts of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem over a long-standing property tax dispute, escalating tensions with Christian institutions in the occupied city, local media reported on Thursday.
A statement by Protecting Holy Land Christians, a group founded by Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, said the freeze has left the Patriarchate unable to pay salaries to clergy, teachers, and staff.
The Times of Israel news outlet said the freeze, enacted on Aug. 6, stems from the Jerusalem Municipality’s push to collect Arnona, a property tax, on church-owned properties used for non-religious purposes, such as guesthouses and coffee shops.
The municipality claimed that the measure followed efforts at dialogue and engagement that failed because the Patriarchate ignored letters from the municipality demanding payment.
Administrative enforcement measures were taken against the Greek Patriarchate because it failed to settle its property tax debts for assets not used as houses of worship, its spokesperson office said.
This was done despite efforts at dialogue and engagement with them, and in light of their ignoring letters from the municipality demanding payment.
A decades-long agreement had historically exempted churches from such taxes, but in 2018, the city narrowed the exemption to properties used solely for prayer, religious teaching, or related needs, seeking tens of millions of shekels in back taxes.
The dispute echoes a 2018 clash when then-mayor Nir Barkat froze church accounts, prompting a three-day closure of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in protest.
The municipality relented after intervention by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Tensions have since flared periodically over specific properties and activities.
Middle East Monitor / ABC Flash Point News 2025.
It isn’t just a policy of genociding the Palestinians the Talmud says that all other religions should be removed from the land of Israel and actually so does the old testament.
Their actions are just pressure to make it uncomfortable to live in Israel unless you are a Jew.
It will get worse.
Property Tax!!!
When Muslims ruled the Holy Land of Palestine there were NO property tax .
The Khazar Zionist Jewish thrash STOLE the Land.
This Rubbish SOB wants property taxes from the Church.
What right do they have to collect property taxes.
Thieves parading as the only Democracy in Stolen Lands.
Including the Khazarica Jews that is?
If you mean Jew against Jew in Israel only 0.02 % of Jews have DNA traceable back to the Middle East in ancient times unlike the Palestinians who when tested amounted to nearly 10 % . As helen44Yemen says the Ashkenazim Jews are converted Jews their country had the option of Christianity/Islam or Judaism their leader chose Judaism so all the males were circumcised but that wont change their DNA .They were part of the hordes who came from the Far East. So there aren’t any “real ” Jews in Israel like the original Hebrews unless they are actually modern… Read more »
Outrageous! The Ashkenazim in Palestine are a European people just like the Germans and they are completely foreign to Palestine and to the Middle East region. Who gave these Europeans the goddamn right to collect taxes from the indigenous population? How long are these Europeans going to remain on the land of the Palestinians?
Is Greece still silent?