(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency) Ramallah, Feb. 26 (Petra) --The Higher Palestinian Committee of Churches Affairs in Palestine on Monday emphasized its full support to the stance of the churches' presidents over the closure of the Church of Holy Sepulchre.
This came in protest against the Israeli municipality's decision to impose what it calls the "Arnona" tax on the churches' properties in Jerusalem, freeze the accounts and confiscate the possessions of the Roman Orthodox Patriarch and the Episcopal Church, in addition to other possessions and accounts that belong to other churches located in Jerusalem.
The committee voiced support to the statement of the Roman Orthodox Patriarch represented by his Beatitude Patriarch, Theophilos III, the Armenian Patriarch represented by his Beatitude Patriarch, Nourhan Manougian, and Custody of the Holy Land represented by FC Francesco Patton.
The three held a press conference in front of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and announced their protest that is supported by presidents of 13 churches' in their statements in February 2018 and September 2017.
The statement emphasized that Israeli municipality's decision targets Christian presence in the holy lands and that the victims of such decisions are the Palestinian people who benefit from services provided by institutions affiliated with churches, be it educational, health, etc.
The committee pointed out that this tax measure will be followed by a law proposed to the Israeli Knesset to confiscate lands that belong to the churches, a measure that targets the Christian presence in the holy lands.
The committee called for solidarity and support to the stance of the churches presidents' on the Israeli municipality's decision as well as laws that threaten their properties.
AK
26/2/2018 - 01:26:14 PM
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