Israel Halts Tax Collection from Christian Church Properties

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered on Tuesday, March 8, the suspension of the tax and fee collection program from properties owned by Christian churches in the Holy Land. This order came after church leaders closed the doors of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in East Jerusalem in an unprecedented protest since Sunday. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, also known as the Resurrection or the Holy Tomb, is the site where the body of the crucified Christ remained for three days before ascending to heaven, and it is considered one of the most important holy sites for Christians worldwide. The custodians of the Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Armenian churches emphasized in front of the closed doors of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre that they would not succumb to the pressure from the Jerusalem municipality and would keep the church closed until a decision was made by the archbishops. However, following the intervention of the Israeli Prime Minister, Nir Barkat, the Mayor of Jerusalem announced on Tuesday that the plan to collect taxes and fees from Christian church properties would remain stagnant for now. Israeli Minister of State Zachi Hanegbi also announced that a committee including representatives from the municipality and the ministries of foreign affairs, interior, and finance, along with representatives from the Christian churches of Jerusalem, would soon examine the dispute between the municipality and the churches. The Jerusalem municipality had recently announced that the tax exemption for churches would be revoked, stating that church properties are significant sources of income and should pay taxes in exchange for services received from the municipality. The Mayor of Jerusalem tweeted that the tax debts of the churches and their properties had recently increased to 650 million shekels (approximately 185 million dollars). By order of the municipality, the bank accounts of some of these properties had been frozen. However, after the intervention of the Israeli Prime Minister, Nir Barkat stated in a radio interview on Tuesday that as Mayor, he only needs to ensure that all taxes and fees are paid, claiming that the municipality had no 'bad intentions.' According to the Associated Press, church leaders emphasized that the properties and assets belonging to the church serve religious purposes and pilgrims, not for profit, and they argue that the Mayor of Jerusalem is attempting to change the current situation in the city. Every year, hundreds of thousands and sometimes millions of Christian pilgrims from around the world visit the Holy Land, which provides a significant source of income for the city of Jerusalem. Recently, church custodians have expressed concern over a legislative process in the Israeli parliament regarding vast lands that have belonged to the churches for centuries in East and West Jerusalem, which have been mortgaged to Jews for about a century. Church leaders claim that Israel is 'seeking to dominate' these lands through a law that is still in draft form and has not yet been voted on in the parliament. However, according to the Associated Press, with the intervention of the Israeli Prime Minister on March 8, the legislative process regarding church-owned lands has also been suspended.