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Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre shut in land policy protest
Reuters
Published: 25.02.18, 13:19
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18 Talkbacks for this article
1. Sovereign Rights
Mark ,   London   (02.25.18)
Is it true that the various Churches have sovereign rights within Israel?
2. A dimension in time where nothing,,,,
Julius ,   Baltimore, USA   (02.25.18)
is still nothing.
3. Ugly drug dealer Sherry calls luxurious hotels "helping poor
ab   (02.25.18)
,just as his hero Pablo Escobar was also helping poor and thus should have been left alone
4. The municipality clearly stated that
Naor ,   Jerusalem   (02.25.18)
Churches and known places of worship are exempt however the Greek Orthodox,Catholic Church etc etc own large real estate assets in Jerusalem which are leased out to businesses - tenants - which are used for non religious purposes - hotels,shops,residences.They are receiving income from these assets and in turn should pay municipality taxes.
No one is asking money for the Holy Sepulchre but services such as police,security,rubbish collection and in times of religious holidays the churches rely on the municipality to control crowds etc.
In the days of Ottoman,Jordanian control no such services were provided- your rubbish piled up and and you were on your own.
Times have changed- The Christian religions have all benefited under Israel so let's cut the political crap which only amounts to nit- picking.Pay like all of us from the basic services you are provided with- on a good day enough donations are given to enable the Holy Sepulchre to pay for public services but again no one is taxing churches just bonafide business.


5. Perhaps Mark Sherry would
Naor ,   Jerusalem   (02.25.18)
Like to inform us which monasteries have been seized and what nuns and monks have been separated????
This is Israel 2018 not 16century Tudor England.
Stick to the facts and don't invent scenarios just to get your name up there.
People come out with a lot of bull on this site but usually no proof to back it up.
6. Municipality tax or "arnona" is
Naor ,   Jerusalem   (02.25.18)
Usually paid by the person who rents the property so if churches are renting to private tenants the tenants are paying the tax- secondly they argue the tax will make it difficult to sell property- land is at a premium all over Israel and the rate that new hotels and residences are being built in Jerusalem confirms that owners are not having the slightest problem selling or in finding buyers.
It would be interesting to know exactly what percentage coming in the churches actually goes out to feed the homless- provide humanitarian help.
7. In Britainthere's a name for it
Ian ,   Newcastle upon Tyne   (02.25.18)
It's what we call cutting off your nose to spite your face.

THREE CHEERS FOR ISRAEL!!!
8. Closed doors means no tithes
(02.25.18)
No church should be businesses but, tell that to the Catholic church who doesn't allow priests, nuns all who 'serve' to own beans.
Shouldn't they clean their own houses of worship of religious pedophiles who don the robes first?
As the saying goes, 'when in Rome.'
9. #1 Sovereign rights doesn't mean a church is a for profit
(02.25.18)
business.
10. Racist right wing government - not surprising
you   (02.25.18)
11. Keep adding nails to the coffin. Next, whine "anti-Semitism"
Rafi ,   US   (02.25.18)
Yet one more ultra-dumb move by right-wing govt... sure to increase Israel's popularity abroad.

And all in the name of...?
12. The churches making the most noise are
Naor ,   Jerusalem   (02.25.18)
Of-course the Greek Orthodox, the Roman Catholic and Armenian which represent the richest three religions with the most land and property- however Israel is also host to,apart from messianic churches- Baptist,Mormon,Anglican,presbytarian,Episcopalian the Ethiopian Church etc etc.Christianity is not under attack- Israel is not making war on the christian population- our three most prominent landlords are just trying to cause as much " wind" as possible to delay opening their wallets.
By depriving christian pilgrims entrance to sites that pilgrim and members of churches worldwide are supporting with their hard earned money is at the least a gross unchristian act.
13. PAY YOUR DAMN TAXES
VIC LAGINA ,   SAFED HONESTY   (02.25.18)
14. Spin-off from the mighty Polish-Israeli duel in the sun?
Cameron   (02.26.18)
Spreading to yet more battlefields?
15. the replacement theology is done with.
eli ,   tel aviv   (01.05.19)
The church's "status quo" was broken when Jews returned to their land after the Church said they never would. So here we are - and you must go.
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