Jerusalem Patriarchate’s Accounts Unfrozen After Tax Dispute with Municipality

The Jerusalem municipality has unfrozen the Patriarchate’s accounts, which had been frozen on August 6 over unpaid property tax known as Arnona. The decision came after diplomatic pressure from several countries’ Consuls General. The freeze had effectively paralyzed the Patriarchate’s operations, preventing it from paying salaries to clergy, teachers, and staff, Orthodox Christianity reports.

According to the Greek agency Romfea, persistent negotiations and the intervention of foreign diplomatic missions led to a positive outcome.

Christian churches and communities in Jerusalem stood united, denouncing the pressure and reaffirming their historic rights in the Holy City. The Middle East Council of Churches also condemned the municipality’s actions, calling them a decision of the “occupation authorities.”

The dispute between the Church and the authorities dates back to 2018, when the municipality first attempted to collect taxes on church properties not directly used for worship and education. At that time, religious leaders closed the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for three days, with the municipality backing down only after intervention by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

It should be recalled that the Jerusalem city authorities froze the bank accounts of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem due to an ongoing dispute with several Christian churches in the city over property tax that the authorities seek to impose on religious institutions.