WCC warns of threat to Christian communities in the Holy Land

PanARMENIAN.Net - The WCC General Secretary, Professor Jerry Pillay, emphasized in a statement that such actions set a dangerous precedent, Armenpress reports.

"We condemn this act as a blatant violation of religious freedom and a troubling breach of the historical status quo governing Jerusalem's holy sites," the statement said.

Pillay noted that the Armenian Patriarchate has preserved the Holy Land’s Christian heritage for centuries alongside other Christian institutions, serving as a symbol of faith and justice. He described the forced measures against the Patriarchate as not only legally and morally unjust but also a precedent threatening Christian communities in Jerusalem.

"This reckless action is part of broader pressures, land disputes, and intimidation tactics against Christian communities, which the WCC has repeatedly condemned," Pillay added.

The Council urged the Israeli authorities to immediately halt the process and uphold Jerusalem’s internationally recognized status quo.

The WCC Secretary-General also called on the international community, religious, and political leaders to take decisive action to protect Christian communities’ rights and preserve the Holy Land as a place of peace and coexistence.

The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem has warned that Israeli authorities are attempting to unlawfully seize church-owned property. The Jerusalem municipality plans to confiscate and auction off land that has belonged to the Armenian Apostolic Church for centuries, citing accumulated municipal debts since 1994.