Israel fences off church land in East Jerusalem

Israel fences off church land in occupied East Jerusalem's Silwan neighborhood

Israeli forces have fenced off 11 dunams of land belonging to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in the Silwan neighborhood of East Jerusalem. Patriarchate officials say the aim of years of intervention is to Judaize the area.

Scraper SystemJune 25, 2026, 09:06 PM

Israel fences off church land in occupied East Jerusalem's Silwan neighborhood

Israeli forces have fenced off a piece of land belonging to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in the Silwan neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem. Although the Patriarchate has filed a lawsuit in Israeli courts to contest the seizure, the courts are delaying the process.

Khalid al-Zir, the official responsible for the maintenance of the land, told Al Jazeera that Israeli forces raided the area last week, fencing it off and building gates, claiming the land belongs to the municipality.

'They want the land neglected'

Al-Zir explained the strategy of Israeli authorities: "They want us to neglect the land, so they can later seize it on the grounds that it is neglected and needs landscaping and maintenance. But their real aim is to Judaize all these lands, like Wadi al-Rababa and other areas."

Emphasizing that the approximately 11-dunam plot is church land belonging to the Greek Orthodox Monastery, al-Zir noted that the area contains tombs and other remnants of Roman civilization, and that the land is also significant for Christianity.

Intervention ongoing for over a decade

Al-Zir stated that Israeli forces have been trying to enter the land under different names, such as the Nature and Parks Authority or the municipality, for over a decade. He said he has been cultivating and maintaining the land, but "they uproot every tree I have planted since 2009, demolish every stone wall I have built, and all of this is documented."

The Palestinian official said that Israeli authorities claim the land does not belong to the monastery, but documents prove otherwise. He provided the following information about the court process: "They claim the land is neglected. When we present evidence to the court that Israeli authorities prevent us from cultivating the land, the hearing is postponed."

Increase in attacks on Christians

Data released by the Center for Freedom of Religious Expression in Israel shows an increase in attacks and harassment against Christians and their holy sites. According to a report published in mid-June, more than 88 incidents of attacks and harassment against Christians have been documented since the beginning of this year.

Of these incidents, 63 were recorded in the second quarter alone, indicating that 2026 could set a new record, surpassing the 181 incidents recorded last year. According to the report, violations include spitting, verbal abuse, damage to cemeteries, tombstones, statues and crosses, racist graffiti, and desecration of Christian religious sites. Most of these incidents were concentrated in Jerusalem's Old City, Mount Zion, and around the Armenian Patriarchate.

Israel fences off church land in occupied East Jerusalem's Silwan neighborhood