[[{"content_id":"308858","domain_id":"0","lang_id":"en","portal_id":"2","owner_id":"114","user_id":"24","view_accesslevel_id":"0","edit_accesslevel_id":"0","delete_accesslevel_id":"0","editor_id":"24","content_title":"Al-Quds\u2019 Holy Sepulchre shut in protest at Israeli policy","content_number":"","content_date_event":"2018-02-26 09:10:09","content_summary":"In a rare move, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Al-Quds was indefinitely shut in protest against what church leaders say is \"discriminatory\" Israeli policy aimed at weakening Christian presence in the holy city.","content_summary_fill":"1","content_body":"In a statement released on Sunday, church leaders said Israel was violating the status quo at the site, which is one of the holiest in Christianity, at an "unprecedented level", aljazeera.com wrote.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe church is believed by many Christians to be the site of Jesus' crucifixion and burial, and is a major pilgrimage site. \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nReferring to a bill recently introduced at the Knesset that would allow the Israeli regime to take over church properties leased to private companies, they said: "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 ..." \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe statement, signed by Roman Catholic, Armenian and Greek Orthodox church leaders, also condemned plans by the Israeli cabinet to begin imposing taxes on church properties. \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n"These actions breach existing agreements and international obligations, which guarantee the rights and privileges of the churches, in what seems as an attempt to weaken the Christian presence in Al-Quds," the press release read.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe Church of the Holy Sepulchre is located in occupied East Al-Quds’ Old City. \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nIn response to the decision, the Palestinian chief negotiator, Saeb Erekat, said the move "should be a reminder of the need to end the Israeli occupation". \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nAl-Quds’ church authorities have been increasingly vocal in recent months, after leaders from the Greek Orthodox Church were accused of selling land to extremist Israeli settlers in prime locations of the Old City.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nIn August, an Al-Quds court approved the purchase of the property by Ateret Cohanim — a settler group that has been working for decades to evict Palestinians from their homes and shops in the Old City. \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church, Theophilos III, who is one of the statement's signatories, is believed to have been behind the sale, which caused hundreds of Palestinians to call for his removal.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nAleef Sabbagh, a member of the Central Orthodox Council, said that while the move to close the church is welcomed, he believes it may be a "charade". ","content_html":"

In a statement released on Sunday, church leaders said Israel was violating the status quo at the site, which is one of the holiest in Christianity, at an "unprecedented level", aljazeera.com wrote.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

The church is believed by many Christians to be the site of Jesus' crucifixion and burial, and is a major pilgrimage site. <\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

Referring to a bill recently introduced at the Knesset that would allow the Israeli regime to take over church properties leased to private companies, they said: "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 ..." <\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

The statement, signed by Roman Catholic, Armenian and Greek Orthodox church leaders, also condemned plans by the Israeli cabinet to begin imposing taxes on church properties. <\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

"These actions breach existing agreements and international obligations, which guarantee the rights and privileges of the churches, in what seems as an attempt to weaken the Christian presence in Al-Quds," the press release read.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is located in occupied East Al-Quds’ Old City. <\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

In response to the decision, the Palestinian chief negotiator, Saeb Erekat, said the move "should be a reminder of the need to end the Israeli occupation". <\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

Al-Quds’ church authorities have been increasingly vocal in recent months, after leaders from the Greek Orthodox Church were accused of selling land to extremist Israeli settlers in prime locations of the Old City.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

In August, an Al-Quds court approved the purchase of the property by Ateret Cohanim — a settler group that has been working for decades to evict Palestinians from their homes and shops in the Old City. <\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

The patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church, Theophilos III, who is one of the statement's signatories, is believed to have been behind the sale, which caused hundreds of Palestinians to call for his removal.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

Aleef Sabbagh, a member of the Central Orthodox Council, said that while the move to close the church is welcomed, he believes it may be a "charade". <\/p>","content_source":"","content_url":"","content_columns":"0","content_date_start":"2018-02-26 09:10:09","content_date_finish":"2018-02-26 09:10:09","content_date_register":"2018-02-26 09:11:18","content_date_last_edit":"2018-02-26 12:17:12","content_show_img":"1","content_show_details":"0","content_show_related_img":"0","content_show_slider":"1","content_show_title_slider":"1","content_comment":"1","content_score":"0","content_recorded":"0","content_confirmed":"0","content_status":"1","content_kind":"0","old_id":"0","tag_id":null,"tag_word":null,"tag_service":null,"tag_total":null,"tag_soundex":null,"attach_token":"1225041064","attach_date_register":"2018-02-26 09:11:15","attach_id":"417990","attach_file_ext":"jpg","attach_file_header":"image\/jpeg","attach_img_type":"2","attach_img_width":"650","attach_img_height":"365","attach_file_media":"1","attach_show_watermark":"1","score_average":null,"score_count":null,"score_date_last":null,"visit_count":"389","visit_date_last":"2025-05-09 20:03:07","attach_title":"Al-Quds\u2019 Holy Sepulchre shut in protest at Israeli policy\r\n 2","node_title":"Top news","ot_node_left_right":"[{\"node_id\":143, \"left\":47, \"right\":48}]"}]]