'Existential threat': Israel to seize, auction Armenian properties in al-Quds
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) says the centuries-old community of Armenian Christians in the Old City of al-Quds is facing an existential threat as the Israeli regime attempts to forcibly expropriate their properties.
Anca made the remarks in a post on X on Wednesday, saying “Israel is set to tax, seize and auction off properties that have been owned for centuries" by Armenian Christian Patriarchate in al-Quds.
“This illegal action represents a direct threat to the survival of the 1,700+ year old Armenian Christian Quarter and all the diverse faith-based communities" of the holy city, it added.
Israel is set to tax, seize and auction off properties that have been owned for centuries by Jerusalem's Armenian Christian Patriarchate - a direct threat to the survival of the 1,700+ year old Armenian Christian Quarter and all the faith-based communities of the Holy Land. pic.twitter.com/QlWU7yIc3r
— ANCA (@ANCA_DC) February 18, 2025
The Armenian Patriarchate in al-Quds has issued an urgent statement, calling on Israeli authorities to intervene immediately to prevent the foreclosure process on its properties and protect the Christian presence in the city.
The Patriarchate is now facing a legal dispute over an alleged municipal tax debt from 1994. It argues that the debt was imposed arbitrarily by a municipal official without proper legal proceedings.
Despite multiple petitions, the municipality in al-Quds has ignored due process and refused to review the validity of the claim.
If the foreclosure moves forward, it could set a dangerous precedent, potentially threatening other Christian religious institutions in the occupied territories.
The move is also seen as unjust, given that the municipality itself owes the Patriarchate millions in unpaid rent.
The issue was initially meant to be resolved through a committee established under Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2018, but the municipality has proceeded unilaterally.
The Patriarchate is located in the Old City of al-Quds in the Armenian Quarter which comprises one-sixth of the old city and occupies the entire southwest corner of the town.
Members of the small minority community of Armenians in al-Quds say they are fearful about their future in the holy city, as Israeli settlers continue to vandalize cemeteries and places of worship, with the support of the occupying regime.
Since the most right-wing Israeli cabinet came to power in 2022, incidents against Christians in al-Quds have reportedly become more violent and common. At the beginning of 2023, 30 Christian graves at the Protestant Mount Zion Cemetery were desecrated.
In the Armenian Quarter, vandals spray-painted “Death to Arabs, Christians and Armenians,” on the walls.
Victims of these incidents say the Israeli police do little to arrest and punish the attackers most of the time.
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