Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday called on churches and Christian institutions in occupied East Jerusalem to reject Israeli efforts to impose the municipal property tax known as “Arnona,” warning that the measure threatens the city’s Christian presence and its historic and legal status.
Arnona is an Israeli municipal property tax levied on real estate based on its size, location and use. Palestinians in East Jerusalem also refer to it as the “area tax” and regard it as one of the main financial burdens imposed on residents.
According to the Palestinian news agency WAFA, Abbas sent letters to Pope Leo XIV, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, French President Emmanuel Macron, Russian President Vladimir Putin, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, and several European leaders highlighting the situation in Jerusalem and what he described as Israeli violations targeting churches and religious institutions.