Leaders of the major Christian sects in Jerusalem closed the church built on the traditional site of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection for several hours today in protest.
The Christian leaders responsible for the site issued a joint statement bemoaning what they called a 'systematic campaign of abuse' against them, comparing it to anti-Jewish laws issued in Nazi Germany.
They are angry about the Jerusalem municipality plans to tax their various assets around the city and a potential parliament bill to expropriate land sold by the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches.
The famous worship site of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre closed today in a protest by Christian leaders
The Christian leaders responsible for the site issued a joint statement bemoaning what they called a 'systematic campaign of abuse' against them
Leaders are angry about the Jerusalem municipality plans to tax their various assets around the city and a potential parliament bill to expropriate land sold by the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches
The churches, which are major landowners in the holy city, say it violates a long standing status quo.
The Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic and the Armenian Apostolic leaders stated the moves seemed like an attempt to 'weaken the Christian presence in Jerusalem.'
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is a major place of worship in Jerusalem's Old City. Christians revere it as the site where Jesus was crucified and where his tomb is located, and its closing is highly unusual.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is revered as the site where Jesus was crucified and resurrected, and is a major place of worship in Jerusalem's Old City
The Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic and the Armenian Apostolic leaders stated the moves seemed like an attempt to 'weaken the Christian presence in Jerusalem'
Jerusalem is one of the country's poorest cities, and the tax revenue from the properties is estimated to be tens of millions of dollars
The Jerusalem municipality stated it would continue to care for the needs of Jerusalem's Christians and maintain their full freedom of worship.
It stated the church, just like other sacred sites in the city, is exempt from municipal property taxes and that will not change.
'However, hotels, halls and businesses cannot be exempt from municipal taxes simply because they are owned by the churches. These are not houses of worship,' it stated in a statement. 'We will no longer require Jerusalem's residents to bear the burden of these huge sums.'
'Hotels, halls and businesses cannot be exempt from municipal taxes simply because they are owned by the churches', the Jerusalem municipality stated in a statement
The Jerusalem municipality stated it would continue to care for the needs of Jerusalem's Christians and maintain their full freedom of worship
Jerusalem is one of the country's poorest cities, and the tax revenue from the properties is estimated to be tens of millions of dollars.
Separately, parliament is pursuing a bill that will appropriate lands in Israel sold by churches to anonymous buyers since 2010.
The bill's sponsor stated these questionable sales have plunged thousands of Jerusalem residents into uncertainty over their living conditions.