Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem Accuses Israel of Pressuring the Armenian Community
The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem has raised alarm over what it describes as Israel’s systematic efforts to drive out the Armenian community from the Old City. According to church representatives, Israeli authorities are using economic and administrative measures to force the reduction of Armenian presence in the historic district and seize church-owned properties. One of the latest tactics includes imposing an overwhelming tax debt on the Armenian Church. If the debt is not paid, Israeli authorities could confiscate church properties in the Armenian Quarter and auction them off, leading to a drastic reduction in Armenian heritage within Jerusalem. The Patriarchate believes these actions are part of a broader strategy to reshape the religious and ethnic makeup of the city in favor of Jewish control, a process often referred to as the Judaization of Jerusalem.
