CMEP Echoes Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem on Armenian Patriarchate Foreclosure Threat

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Washington, D.C. - September 30, 2025

(202) 543-1222
CMEP Echoes Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem on Armenian Patriarchate Foreclosure Threat

September 30, 2025, Washington D.C.- Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) echoes the urgent call of the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem and stands in unwavering solidarity with the Armenian Patriarchate. This renewed foreclosure threat is not merely a legal dispute; it is a direct challenge to the centuries-old Status Quo that safeguards the presence and witness of Christian communities in the Holy Land. Targeting the Armenian Patriarchate with unjust and disproportionate financial burdens undermines the sustainability of the Church’s ministry, weakens the fabric of Jerusalem’s diverse religious life, and sets a dangerous precedent for all Christian institutions. We urge immediate intervention by Israeli authorities and international actors to halt these proceedings and engage in constructive dialogue that respects religious freedom, protects historic Christian rights, and upholds justice in the city that is sacred to Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike.

You can read the full statement HERE or below.

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Formed in 1984, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is a coalition of more than 30 national church communions and organizations, including Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, and Evangelical traditions that works to encourage US policies that actively promote a comprehensive resolution to conflicts in the Middle East with a focus on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. CMEP works to mobilize US Christians to embrace a holistic perspective and to be advocates of equality, human rights, security, and justice for Israelis, Palestinians, and all people of the Middle East.

Recent CMEP Statements and Press Releases:

Sep 18, 2025: CMEP Statement on the Freezing of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem’s Bank Accounts
On August 6, 2025, the Jerusalem Municipality froze the bank accounts of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. This action is deeply troubling, both in its immediate impact and in its broader implications. It constitutes a direct violation of the historic Status Quo that has governed Jerusalem for centuries and threatens the ability of the Churches to provide vital spiritual, educational, charitable, and social services to their communities.

Sep 15, 2025: CMEP Condemns the Jerusalem attack by Hamas and the Israeli attack on Qatar as further escalations in the ongoing Israel/Hamas War
Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is appalled by the alarming escalation of violence across the Middle East over the past week in the ongoing battle between Israel and Hamas. Civilians pay the highest price. The violence must stop, and the ongoing killing must be brought to an end. The cycle of brutality continues to devastate lives, fueling greater insecurity and suffering for all.

Sep 12, 2025: Joint Statement: “A Death Sentence” – Aid Agencies Warn of Israel’s Assault on Gaza City
45 Humanitarian and civil society organizations warn that Israel’s assault on Gaza City amounts to a death sentence. Intensified Israeli military attacks on Gaza City and forced displacement orders for the entire city are leaving families with an impossible dilemma: flee and risk death on the road and in overcrowded displacement areas, or stay and face relentless bombardment in their shelters.

Aug 27, 2025: Churches for Middle East Peace Elevates the Joint Statement by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem
Churches for Middle East Peace affirms the joint statement from the Greek Orthodox and Latin Patriarchates of Jerusalem as a cry from the heart of the Christian community in the Holy Land, a prophetic voice of truth spoken amid unbearable suffering. Their words remind us that what is unfolding in Gaza is not an abstraction, but the lived reality of hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children, including the faithful who have sought refuge within the very walls of the Church. The Patriarchates’ declaration that there can be “no future based on captivity, displacement of Palestinians or revenge” is both a moral compass and a summons to the global conscience.

Aug 26, 2025 Joint Statement: The Latest Planned Israeli Military Offensive in Gaza City Must Be Halted
Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) joined twenty church-based organizations in calling for Israel to halt its planned military offensive in Gaza City. With famine already declared in Gaza, further military operations will only cause further suffering and death for a civilian population without anywhere else to go. As the letter reads, “this displacement will result in a modern-day death march that is clearly intended to ethnically cleanse half of the Gaza Strip and compress all of Gaza’s population into a tiny sliver of territory incapable of sustaining life.” The letter calls on all parties, including the United States, to use all leverage available to call upon the Israeli government to reverse its plans for a military offensive in Gaza City and to instead pursue a durable and lasting ceasefire.

See all of our public statements and press releases.