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STATEMENT ON MUNICIPAL THREATS AND THE DISCRIMINATORY“CHURCH LANDS BILL”25/02/2018
We, the Heads of Churches in charge of the Holy Sepulchre and the Status Quo governing the various Christian Holy Sites in Jerusalem – the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, the Custody of the Holy Land and the Armenian Patriarchate – are following with great concern the systematic campaign against the Churches and the Christian community in the Holy Land, in flagrant violation of the existing Status Quo.
Recently, this systematic and offensive campaign has reached an unprecedented level as the Jerusalem Municipality issued scandalous collection notices and orders of seizure of Church assets, properties and bank accounts for alleged debts of punitive municipal taxes. A step that is contrary to the historic position of the Churches within the Holy City of Jerusalem and their relationship with the civil authorities. These actions breach existing agreements and international obligations which guarantee the rights and the privileges of the Churches, in what seems as an attempt to weaken the Christian presence in Jerusalem. The greatest victims in this are those impoverished families who will go without food and housing, as well as the children who will be unable to attend school.
The systematic campaign of abuse against Churches and Christians reaches now its peak as a discriminatory and racist bill that targets solely the properties of the Christian Community in the Holy Land is being promoted. This abhorrent bill is set to advance today in a meeting of a ministerial committee which if approved, would make the expropriation of the lands of Churches possible. This reminds us all of laws of a similar nature which were enacted against the Jews during dark periods in Europe.
This systematic and unprecedented attack against Christians in the Holy Land severely violates the most basic, ab antique and sovereign rights, trampling on the delicate fabric of relations between the Christian Community and the authorities for decades.
Therefore, and recalling the statement of the Patriarchs and Heads of Local Churches in Jerusalem, dated 14 February, 2018 and their previous statement of September 2017, as a measure of protest, we decided to take this unprecedented step of closure of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Together with all Heads of Churches in the Holy Land we stand united, firm and resolute in protecting our rights and our properties.
May the Holy Spirit answer our prayers and bring a resolution to this historic Crisis in our Holy City.
THEOPHILOS III, Patriarch of Jerusalem
FRANCESCO PATTON, Custos of the Holy Land
NOURHAN MANNOUGIAN, Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem
The protest in question is whether the City of Jerusalem has the authority to collect taxes at all, and enforce penalties on tax delinquency.
ReplyDeleteAs a Christian, I'm embarrassed that these representatives would rather abide by a centuries old Muslim agreement that makes Christians co-equal second class citizens under Muslim domination than live as equals as first class citizens in a representative Jewish republic.
I'm embarrassed that these representatives behave as if they preferred to be subjugated as Dhimmis under Muslim domination rather than be big boys living in a Jewish Democracy.
I'm embarrassed that these representatives are willing to sacrifice the livelihoods of laypeople who don't live off comfortable church pensions rather than legitimize the only democracy in the Middle East.
I'm embarrassed that these representatives bicker and backbite amongst themselves while their churches fall to the ground until it's time to complain about the Jewish State.
I'm embarrassed that these representatives would rather cooperate and show solidarity with terrorist organizations rather than Israel.