As pressure grows on the Christian presence in Jerusalem, George Akrush, director of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem’s development office and head of the church’s social and educational projects in the Holy Land, is warning that a series of Israeli measures affecting both land and education could reshape the city’s Christian community and jeopardize its geographical and social continuity.
Akroush’s comments come amid widespread concerns recently expressed by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, over the consequences of Israeli land-registration measures and the non-recognition of Palestinian academic qualifications.
in an interview with ACI MENAAkroush, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, described a series of interconnected challenges facing church institutions and the Christian community, particularly in Jerusalem. These developments are unfolding in a complex legal and political environment in East Jerusalem, where residents and institutions face increasing restrictions related to property, movement, and employment.
On the land issue, Akroush expressed deep concern over the Israeli government’s February decision to restart settlement and registration processes for land not formally recorded before 1967. He said the mechanism, which is used to define and consolidate ownership, goes beyond a routine administrative step.
“This is not just an administrative procedure but a legal instrument that could reclassify large areas as state land,” he said, warning that it “opens the door to the confiscation of private and church properties, fundamentally altering the reality on the ground.”
His comments echo concerns raised by Pizzaballa in a recent address in which the chancellor said many Palestinian lands remain unregistered since before 1967, making their legal status “complicated” and increasing the risk to local communities if the situation changes.
Akroush said this policy could reproduce the conditions seen in Hebron, where there is persistent tension due to the introduction of settler groups into Palestinian neighborhoods.
“When settlers are placed in the heart of a neighbourhood, permanent points of friction emerge, affecting daily life, the local economy and gradually fragmenting the social fabric,” he said.
Akrush said such policies could isolate Jerusalem from its natural ties to Bethlehem and Ramallah, which would have serious consequences for community cohesion and long-term sustainability.
The refusal of Israeli authorities to recognize Palestinian university degrees for teachers in Jerusalem also “poses a serious challenge to the identity of educational institutions”, Akroush said, adding that the decision leaves Christian schools facing painful choices.
“We are facing a reality in which schools may be forced to either change their curriculum or lose qualified teaching staff,” he said, emphasizing that these institutions serve a mission that extends beyond sectarian boundaries.
Pizzaballa has similarly highlighted the schools crisis, noting that hundreds of Christian teachers from Bethlehem are no longer able to access their schools in Jerusalem.
“They will no longer be able to attend, and this will create not only financial difficulties for their families but also challenges for schools that cannot find Christian teachers,” the chancellor said. “These are just examples of how complex the situation remains for all of us.”
Akroush said approximately 300 Christian institutions provide a range of services, including education, health care and social support, to a significant portion of the Palestinian population.
He said, “These institutions are not just for Christians; they serve everyone and are an important part of the social fabric of the Holy Land.”
Akroush said these developments come as international attention is divided by several regional crises, reducing global focus on Jerusalem. Recalling the 2018 closure of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in protest against similar measures, he said the current challenges “take a different form, going beyond property to also involve human resources.”
Regarding the education crisis, Akroush said that preventing 232 teachers from Bethlehem from accessing their schools in Jerusalem has directly affected 12 Christian schools.
“These teachers are the backbone of the educational process and their sudden absence creates a gap that is difficult to fill,” he said.
He said estimates from patriarchies and educational institutions suggest that it may take at least 15 years to compensate for this loss of specialized teaching experience because those teachers have unique expertise.
Akrush said the consequences extend beyond education to social and economic spheres, especially in a time of limited job opportunities and rising unemployment.
“When a teacher loses his or her job with no replacement, families face difficult choices, including migration,” he said, noting that young families are particularly vulnerable. He emphasized that the Church in the Holy Land, as Pizzaballa has repeatedly said, “is not merely the custodian of the holy places, but a living community serving the people.”
Akroush called on the international community and churches around the world to closely monitor developments, protect historical properties, and ensure that teachers can freely access their workplaces, saying “targeting schools is targeting the future.” He said that the Church only wants to “preserve its natural right to live, serve and educate in its holy city.”
