ATHENS

Athens is upset by the seizure of properties of the Greek Orthodox Church in the West Bank by illegal Israeli settlers, local media reported on Thursday.

According to Kathimerini daily, Greek authorities expressed serious concern over reports of expanded land intrusions by settlers on property belonging to the Greek Orthodox Church in the West Bank, particularly around the historic Monastery of Saint Gerasimos of the Jordan near the city of Jericho.

According to the daily, tension in the Jericho region has risen over the past two years, particularly following October 2023, when Israel began its devastating war on Gaza, with at least five new settler outposts reportedly established in the region, often preceding further land seizures.

It added that a high-level meeting was held in Athens to assess the situation, including the expansion of illegal settlement activity on land under the jurisdiction of the Jerusalem Greek Orthodox Patriarchate.