Four Israeli municipalities have sought to levy municipal taxes on church properties in violation of “centuries” of historical agreements in a move denounced by local Church leaders as a “coordinated attack” against Christians in the Holy Land.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Catholic patriarch of Jerusalem and Franciscan Fr Francesco Patton, custos of the Holy Land, in a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stated: “At this time when the entire world, and in particular the Christian world, is constantly following the events in Israel, we find ourselves once again faced with an attempt by the authorities to expel the Christian presence from the Holy Land”.

They added: “It is an outrage that, specifically during such sensitive and complicated times when patience, compassion, unity in prayer and hope should prevail, municipalities are opening cases against churches in courts and making threats. This constitutes contempt of our customs and that which is dear to us, while trampling the mutual respect that existed between us until this time”.