Church Leaders Accuse Israel of 'Coordinated Attack' Through Tax Proceedings

Church leaders accuse Israeli authorities of a 'coordinated attack' on Christian presence in the Holy Land via tax proceedings. Letters sent to Prime Minister Netanyahu claim legal threats over tax debts disrupt centuries-old status quo and reflect increasing intolerance towards Christians in Israel.

Church leaders have accused Israeli authorities of executing a 'coordinated attack' on the Christian presence in the Holy Land through tax proceedings.

Despite Israeli officials downplaying the conflict as a regular financial issue, church representatives argue that such actions disturb a long-standing status quo and indicate growing intolerance toward the Christian minority.

In a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, heads of major Christian denominations reported that four Israeli municipalities had issued warning letters to churches, threatening legal action for unpaid taxes.

'We believe these efforts represent a coordinated attack on the Christian presence in the Holy Land,' stated the heads of the Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Armenian Orthodox churches. They remarked that amid global attention on Israel, authorities were seeming to attempt to diminish the Christian footprint in the region.

Christians comprise less than 2% of Israel and Palestinian territories' population, totaling around 233,300 people, primarily Palestinians. The churches, significant landowners, argue that longstanding traditions exempt them from property taxes and that their funds support essential services like schools, hospitals, and elderly homes. Recent months have seen municipalities like Tel Aviv, Ramla, Nazareth, and Jerusalem issuing tax-related legal threats.

The Jerusalem municipality contended to The Associated Press that the churches had failed to submit necessary tax exemption requests. They noted that discussions were ongoing to settle debts on commercial church properties. The response from other municipalities remains elusive, leaving questions about the coordination of these tax actions.

In protest, Christians had previously closed the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in 2018 over a similar tax imposition initiative, which was later suspended by Netanyahu due to public outrage.

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