Featured Picture: The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem’s Old City. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate has warned that the seizure of Church land in Silwan threatens Christian property and heritage in Jerusalem. Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Jlascar / CC BY 2-0.
The Patriarchate said Israeli forces forced its representative to leave the site, confiscated his equipment, uprooted trees, and closed off the property with fencing, gates, and barriers.
It described the incident as an unlawful and illegitimate seizure of established Church property in the heart of Jerusalem. The Patriarchate also warned that the move threatens the rights of Christian institutions in the city.
Church says the land is officially registered
The Patriarchate identifies the land as Parcel 6 of Block 29985. It said official records list the property under its name and noted that the site lies next to an ancient monastery and contains historical, archaeological, and religious features.
The Church argued that the seizure of private land with Christian heritage and religious significance creates a dangerous precedent for ecclesiastical property rights in Jerusalem. It also rejected any reliance on a municipal gardening order issued on April 18, 2019.
According to the Patriarchate, the order expired in April 2024 and cannot justify removing the lawful caretaker, uprooting trees, sealing off the land, or denying the Church access to its own property.
🔴Le Patriarcat grec orthodoxe de Jérusalem exprime sa profonde inquiétude à la suite du raid israélien et de la saisie de terrain visant une propriété de l’Église à Silwan, à Jérusalem-est, le 15 juin 2026.
Lors de cette opération, son représentant a été expulsé de force, son… pic.twitter.com/fX4G1nNFG0
— SOS Chrétiens d’Orient (@SOSCdOrient) June 18, 2026
Palestinian Authority condemns the move
The Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also condemned the seizure, calling it a serious attack on Church property and a blatant violation of the legal and historical status quo in occupied Jerusalem.
In a statement shared on X, the ministry said the June 15 operation included the expulsion of the Patriarchate’s representative, the confiscation of equipment, the uprooting of trees, and the enclosure of the area with walls and gates. The ministry said the measures do not create any legal right for Israel and do not change the legal and historical status of East Jerusalem as occupied Palestinian land.
It added that all annexation, confiscation, and seizure measures are null and void under international law. Palestinian officials urged the international community to act immediately to stop violations against Christian and Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem and to hold Israel accountable.
الخارجية // استيلاء الاحتلال على أرض تعود ملكيتها لبطريركية الروم الأرثوذكس في القدس اعتداء خطير على الأملاك الكنسية وانتهاكا جسيما للوضع القانوني والتاريخي القائم في القدس المحتلة
تدين وزارة الخارجية والمغتربين بأشد العبارات إقدام سلطات الاحتلال الإسرائيلي على الاستيلاء على أرض… pic.twitter.com/WJr5v76C4P
— State of Palestine – MFA 🇵🇸🇵🇸 (@pmofa) June 19, 2026
Jerusalem Patriarchate warns of pressure on Christians in the holy land
The Patriarchate said the Silwan incident forms part of a wider pattern of escalating attacks aimed at weakening the indigenous Christian presence in the Holy Land.
It expressed deep concern over what it described as rising Israeli attacks against Christians, clergy, churches, monasteries, and religious symbols, amid what it called unacceptable international tolerance. The Patriarchate cited 111 attacks or acts of violence in 2024 against Christian clergy, nuns, worshippers, and church communities, including 35 incidents targeting churches, monasteries, and religious symbols.
The Church also pointed to attacks in Gaza. It recalled the Israeli army’s strike on the compound of Saint Porphyrius Church on October 19, 2023, which killed 18 civilians. It also cited the strike on Holy Family Church on July 17, 2025, which killed three civilians and injured Father Gabriel Romanelli.
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