Circular No. 34/2026: Heads of Patriarchates and Recognized Churches in Palestine

PALESTINE MONETARY AUTHORITY

Circular No. (34/2026)
To all banks operating in Palestine
Date: Thursday, March 26, 2026

Subject: Heads of Patriarchates and Recognized Churches in Palestine

Attached is a copy of the letter from the Chairman of the Higher Presidential Committee for Monitoring Church Affairs regarding the request to approve correspondence issued by the heads of patriarchates and churches affiliated with Christian denominations recognized in Palestine. Emphasizing the continued freezing of recognition of the Armenian Orthodox Patriarch in Jerusalem and all Holy Lands / Nourhan Manoukian, and stopping dealings with correspondence issued under his signature, and working on reviewing the Presidential Committee in case any correspondence concerning the Patriarchate or its affiliated institutions is received.

Accordingly, the necessary measures for implementation are requested.

Supervision Group
Palestine Monetary Authority

This also repeals Circular No. (2022/292).

STATE OF PALESTINE
Higher Presidential Committee of Churches affairs in Palestine

State of Palestine
Higher Presidential Committee for Monitoring
Church Affairs in Palestine

Date: 2026/03/11

Dear Mr. Yahya Shannar,
Governor of the Palestine Monetary Authority

Greetings,

Subject: Heads of Recognized Churches in Palestine

The Higher Presidential Committee for Monitoring Church Affairs in Palestine extends its best greetings to you. With reference to the above subject, and in response to your letter No. 2026/03/282 dated 2026/03/10, we attach to you an updated list of names of heads of recognized churches in Palestine for the approval of correspondence issued by them.

It is also necessary to note the requirement to adopt our letter No. 2023/87 dated 2023/05/18, regarding the freezing of recognition of the Armenian Orthodox Patriarch Nourhan Manoukian and referring to the Presidential Committee in case any letter concerning the Armenian Orthodox Patriarchate or its affiliated institutions is received.

Please accept the highest respect and appreciation.

Dr. Ramzi Khoury
Member of the Executive Committee of the PLO
Chairman of the Higher Presidential Committee for Monitoring Church Affairs in Palestine

• Attached list of names of church heads

• Attached copy of our letter No. 2023/87

STATE OF PALESTINE
Higher Presidential Committee of Churches affairs in Palestine

State of Palestine
Higher Presidential Committee for Monitoring
Church Affairs in Palestine

List of names of heads of recognized churches in Palestine

No.	Name	Patriarchate
1	His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III	Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox of Jerusalem and All Holy Lands and Jordan
2	His Eminence Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa	Patriarch of the Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem and All Holy Lands
3	His Grace Bishop Yasser Ayyash	Bishop of the Greek Melkite Catholic in Jerusalem
4	His Grace Bishop Dr. Emad Haddad	Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and All Holy Lands
5	His Grace Bishop Hussam Naoum	Archbishop of the Anglican Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East
6	His Grace Bishop Mar Antimos Jack Yacoub	Bishop of the Syriac Orthodox in Jerusalem, Jordan and All Holy Lands
7	His Holiness Father Francesco Patto	Custodian of the Holy Land
8	His Grace Bishop Anba Antonios	Bishop of the Jerusalem and Near East See of the Coptic Orthodox
9	His Grace Bishop Netanel Nizar Simeon	Bishop of the Abyssinian Church in Jerusalem and All Holy Lands
10	His Eminence Archbishop Musa Al-Hajj	Bishop of the Maronite Church in All Holy Lands and Haifa
11	His Grace Bishop Mar Yacoub Ephrem Simeon	Bishop of the Syriac Catholic Church in Jerusalem and All Holy Lands
12	Father Narik Louis Naimo	Armenian Catholic Church in Jerusalem and Jordan

Higher Presidential Committee of Churches affairs in Palestine (HCC)

Higher Presidential Committee for Monitoring
Church Affairs in Palestine (HCC)

Date: 18-05-2023

His Excellency Dr. Firas Malham,
Governor of the Palestine Monetary Authority and Chairman of the Board of Directors

Greetings,

Subject: Armenian Orthodox Patriarchate

The Higher Presidential Committee for Monitoring Church Affairs in Palestine extends its best greetings to you. With reference to the above subject, and based on the Committee's decision regarding the freezing of recognition of Patriarch Nourhan Manoukian, Patriarch of the Armenian Orthodox Church in Jerusalem and all Holy Lands, we request that you circulate to banks the decision of the Presidential Committee to stop dealing with letters issued under his signature when opening and updating bank accounts, and to refer to the Presidential Committee in case any letters from the Armenian Orthodox Patriarchate and its affiliated institutions are received.

Thank you very much.

Dr. Ramzi Khoury
Member of the Executive Committee of the PLO
Chairman of the Higher Presidential Committee for Monitoring Church Affairs in Palestine