Alwaght- The holiest site in Christianity, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, has been closed in protest at Israeli Regime's tax policies which unfairly target the Christian community in occupied Palestinian territories.
In the rare step not seen for close to three decades, church leaders closed the church of in al-Quds (Jerusalem), citing “systematic and unprecedented attack against Christians in the Holy Land” as reason. Israeli Authorities also shut down Church bank accounts under the pretext of unpaid debts.
The Christian denominations said they were protesting against the decision by al-Quds city government to start levying taxes on church properties and a proposed bill in the Israeli regime's parliament that would make it harder for them to sell property.
Israeli regime's cabinet is also considering a bill which would stop churches selling land in al-Quds to property developers, raising the prospect that people who live on the land would be forced out of their homes.
Control of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is shared between the Catholic, Greek and Armenian churches, as well as two smaller denominations.
Leaders of the Catholic, Greek, and Armenian denominations said they were indefinitely closing the Holy Sepulchre church, built at what is said to be the site of Jesus’ crucifixion.
In 1990, the church was also shut in protest at Israeli settlers taking over a Christian building, and it was not clear when its 1,000-year-old doors will open again.
In a joint statement released on Sunday, the leaders of the three largest denominations said the moves by Jerusalem city government and Israeli ministers were part of a “systematic and offensive campaign”.
"This reminds of us all of laws of a similar nature which were enacted against the Jews during dark periods in Europe," the churches said.
