The Christian leaders decried the actions as “legally dubious and morally unacceptable,” emphasizing that churches have traditionally been exempt from the tax
Newsroom (29/09/2025, Gaudium Press ) The Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem have issued a unified call for justice in support of the Orthodox Armenian Patriarchate, which faces renewed legal proceedings over an alleged Arnona tax debt, Jerusalem’s municipal property tax. The Christian leaders decried the actions as “legally dubious and morally unacceptable,” emphasizing that churches have traditionally been exempt from the tax, despite recent efforts by government officials to enforce it.
The Armenian Patriarchate expressed deep disappointment in a September 22 statement, noting that a hearing over its long-running Arnona dispute, originally canceled in February, has been rescheduled for September 29, 2025. The Patriarchate had been notified that administrative petition ATM 1470-02-24 was dropped, interpreting this as a commitment from Israeli authorities to resolve the matter through a special government committee led by Tzachi Hanegbi, established in 2018 to address disputes involving Christian institutions. “The Patriarchate placed sincere trust in this process and welcomed the dialogue through the committee,” the statement read. “It is therefore with disappointment and concern that we now approach a new hearing date, while the dispute has not been redirected to the appropriate governmental channels.”
Describing the tax as “exorbitant,” the Christian leaders stand “united behind the Armenian Patriarchate in their call for the authorities to engage in good faith negotiations.” The Patriarchate criticized the decision to proceed with a new court date as contradictory to earlier assurances, stating it “raises serious questions about the sincerity of the process.” They urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Interior Minister Moshe Arbel, and Hanegbi to intervene, freeze all legal proceedings, including the upcoming hearing, and reaffirm the committee’s role as the proper forum for resolving the tax claims.
Quoting Amos 5:24—“But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream”—the church leaders’ statement, issued on September 26, called on the Israeli government to suspend the current legal proceedings and redirect the matter to appropriate venues. “Only by such a course,” they declared, “can the rights of the Armenian Patriarchate be duly safeguarded, together with those of all other Christian communities in the Holy Land.”
The dispute, which first drew attention in February 2025 with a foreclosure order from the Municipality of Jerusalem, highlights broader financial pressures on Christian communities. The Patriarchate warned that the Arnona tax issue is part of “unprecedented financial pressures” facing Christian institutions in the Holy Land, urging the government to protect their historic rights. The church leaders echoed this concern, advocating for a resolution that respects traditional exemptions and ensures the equitable treatment of all religious communities in Jerusalem.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and The Armenian Mirror Spectator
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