The heads of major Christian denominations in Israel say that local governments across the country are demanding they pay property tax, violating a longstanding arrangement in a manner they say reflects growing intolerance for Christians in the Holy Land.
  • filister@lemmy.world
    16·
    5 months ago

    After they upped their actions to kick off Armenians from their homes in Jerusalem, now they start targeting Christians. The end goal would be for them to control the whole of Jerusalem.

    • emergencyfood@sh.itjust.works
      4·
      5 months ago

      now they start targeting Christians

      By asking religious bodies to pay tax? Why do religious organisations get tax exemptions anyway?

      • filister@lemmy.world
        4·
        5 months ago

        Do you think synagogues are paying any taxes? Because if they force churches to pay the taxes, they should apply the same scrutiny to synagogues but I am sure they don’t. So I dare you to prove me wrong.

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldBEnglish
    4·
    5 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:

    JERUSALEM (AP) — Leaders of major churches have accused Israeli authorities of launching a “coordinated attack” on the Christian presence in the Holy Land by initiating tax proceedings against them.

    While Israeli officials have tried to dismiss the disagreement as a routine financial matter, the churches say the move upsets a centuries-old status quo and reflects mounting intolerance for the tiny Christian presence in the Holy Land.

    In a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week, the heads of the major Christian denominations alleged that four municipalities across Israel had recently submitted warning letters to church officials cautioning them of legal action if they did not pay taxes.

    The churches, who are major landowners in the Holy Land, say they do not pay property taxes under longstanding tradition.

    The Jerusalem municipality told The Associated Press that the church had not submitted the necessary requests for tax exemptions over the last few years.

    In 2018, Christians closed the Church of the Holy Sepulchre — revered by Christians as the site of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection — to protest a move by Israeli officials to impose taxes on commercial properties in the holy city.

    The original article contains 446 words, the summary contains 193 words. Saved 57%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!