Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem protests rescheduled tax hearing, calls for government intervention
The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem has expressed disappointment and concern after learning that a hearing over its long-running Arnona (municipal tax) dispute has been rescheduled for September 29, 2025, despite earlier assurances that the case would be addressed through a special government committee.
In a statement issued Monday, the Patriarchate said it had been officially notified in February that the original hearing for administrative petition ATM 1470-02-24 was cancelled. Church leaders interpreted that move as a sign that Israeli authorities intended to resolve the matter through the governmental committee headed by Tzachi Hanegbi, which was established in 2018 to handle similar 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.”
The Patriarchate said the decision to proceed with a new court date contradicts the formal notification it received earlier this year and “raises serious questions about the sincerity of the process and the willingness of the authorities to engage in good faith negotiations.”
Church officials urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Interior Minister Moshe Arbel, and Mr. 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.
The Arnona tax dispute is part of a broader financial pressure faced by Christian communities in the Holy Land, the Patriarchate warned, calling on the Israeli government to protect the rights of the Armenian Patriarchate and other Christian institutions from “unprecedented financial pressures.”
