Heads of the Armenian, Greek Orthodox and Catholic churches in Jerusalem also accused the Israeli authorities of failing to keep a commitment made just a few months ago that brought an end to a major crisis between the sides.
Ministers to mull bill allowing state to confiscate land sold by churches https://t.co/mMErbgVnw6 via @timesofisrael
— E (@bargyle1997) June 19, 2018
In February, the Jerusalem municipality began enforcing tax collection on church property, while separately lawmakers in the parliament worked on advancing a law that would allow expropriation of church property.
The church leaders in protest closed the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built at the site of Jesus’s burial in Jerusalem, following which Israeli authorities froze both the tax measures and the legislation, committing to a dialogue with Palestinian Christians over the issues.
After Holy Sepulchre shuttered, bill allowing seizure of church lands shelved https://t.co/d1LMLghlga
— SullaSnug (@SullaSnug) March 5, 2018
Rachel Azaria, a lawmaker with the centrist coalition party Kulanu, recently renewed work on a slightly revised bill that does not mention churches but would let the state expropriate the rights over lands sold by such bodies in Jerusalem while offering compensation.
In their Monday letter to Netanyahu, the Palestinian Christian leaders slammed the “scandalous bill,” accusing its backers of an “unprecedented attack against the Christians of the Land.”
Israel decides to postpone vote on controversial expropriation bill following closure of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. MK Rachel Azaria says the bill will be brought before the ministerial legislation committee next week. https://t.co/yL8Yow9cDB
— Michael Shuval ?️? (@MichaelShuval) February 25, 2018
They said:
“Certain elements in the government of Israel are still attempting to promote divisive, racist and subversive agendas, thereby undermining the Status Quo and targeting the Christian community on the basis of extraneous and populist considerations.”
The church leaders also said that despite the Israeli commitment to communicate on these issues via a specially appointed commitment headed by Regional Cooperation Minister Tzachi Hanegbi, “no dialogue whatsoever has taken place with us” since the end of February.
The church leaders said:
“We view such conduct, from those who promote the bill, as a flagrant violation and undermining of Your Excellency’s commitment and of the basic and fundamental freedom of worship.”
Islamic Waqf
The Islamic Waqf in Jerusalem (Al-Awqaf), a religious trust, condemned the Israeli tax bill on Church properties and saw it as an escalation against the Palestinian and Arab presence in Jerusalem.— Aoude (@AoudeA) February 26, 2018
The church heads called on Netanyahu to swiftly “block the bill whose unilateral promotion will compel the Churches to reciprocate”.
There was no immediate comment from Netanyahu’s office.
#Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy #Sepulchre Closed Protesting Israeli Taxes (VIDEO) https://t.co/Boa5zsyIQp @PalestineChron pic.twitter.com/UByjqFwL4j
— Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) February 27, 2018
Hanegbi refused to comment.
A spokeswoman for Azaria told AFP the bill was coordinated with Netanyahu and Hanegbi.
(Al Araby Al-Jadeed, PC, Social Media)
