Jerusalem Patriarchate Reports Church Property Access Blocked

JERUSALEM — The Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem reported that Church property in the Silwan area of East Jerusalem was targeted in a June 15, 2026, operation during which a Patriarchate representative was forcibly removed from the site, his equipment was confiscated, trees were uprooted, and the land was subsequently fenced off and gated.

The property is officially registered in the name of the Patriarchate and is located near an ancient monastic site of historical, archaeological, and religious significance. According to the report, the Church representative present on site was expelled during the operation, after which access to the property was restricted and the area sealed.

The Patriarchate said the action was carried out under the authority of a municipal gardening order issued in 2019. However, it stated that the order expired in April 2024 and argued that it does not provide legal justification for the removal of Church personnel, destruction of vegetation, or closure of the property. It described the incident as an unlawful seizure of Church land in the heart of Jerusalem and placed it within a broader pattern of pressure affecting Christian institutions in the region.

The report also referenced previous incidents involving Christian sites in Gaza, including damage to St. Porphyrius Church in October 2023 and Holy Family Church in July 2025, as part of its broader account of ongoing challenges facing Christian communities in the Holy Land. It emphasized the importance of safeguarding Church property as integral to preserving Jerusalem’s historic Christian presence.

Previously, the UOJ reported that Israel police recruited religious officers for the Temple Mount unit.