Holy Sepulchre closed in protest against new tax
It affects the sanctity of its holy sites and may even lead to far more serious consequences that can put church land property at risk of being confiscated.
As Chancellor at Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem Hovnan Baghdasaryan wrote on Facebook, the heads of churches are protesting the Jerusalem municipality's new policy on municipal tax payments for Church property.
Copies of their written statement called the "Church Land's Bill" a "flagrant violation of the existing status quo" that 'breach (es) existing agreements and worldwide obligations which guarantee the rights and privileges of the Churches, in what seems as an attempt to weaken the Christian presence in Jerusalem'.
It would also allow the state to expropriate land in Jerusalem sold by churches to private firms in recent years.
Earlier this month, the Jerusalem municipality sent out tax bills to church-owned and United Nations-owned properties that, the city claims, do not provide religious services.
A Russian tourist in her 20s who only gave her name as Elona said "it is very disappointing" that she could not visit the church on Sunday.
The proposal to levy taxes on some properties would run contrary to the unofficial historical tax-exempt status the churches have enjoyed for centuries.
However the Church leaders said it was instead "an attempt to weaken the Christian presence in Jerusalem", describing it as "discriminatory and racist". "My bill deals with what happens when the right over the lands are sold to a third party", Rachel Azaria, an Israeli politician who is backing the legislation, told the BBC. It is believed by many Christians to be the site of Jesus' crucifixion and burial, drawing millions of pilgrims every year.
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In his statement, El-Tayeb said that the Israeli order was a continuation of policies that aim to "judaize" Jerusalem and its surroundings in light of the "unjust" decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of the "Zionist Entity".
Barkat stressed that the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and all other churches were exempt from the taxes and would remain so, with the changes only affecting establishments like "hotels, halls and businesses" owned by the churches.
The Jerusalem and the Middle East Church Association reports that the Anglican Church is facing demands for £1.44 million, and that two of its bank accounts have been frozen (News, 23 February).
Palestine has said the formal recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and transferring the embassy there makes it impossible for the USA to be a fair broker in any future peace process between Ramallah and Tel Aviv. I came here all this way to see the church and I find it closed.
But Tom O'Flynn from Kentucky said this should be a case of separation of church and state.
"We were told it's political". If we indeed share values, let's share values of freedom of religion.
"The measures are against properties that are also used for religious purposes", Jubran said, "for example, the Sisters of St. Joseph Hospital".
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