Tag: Tel Aviv

Israel: closure of Christianity’s ‘holiest site’ an ‘alarm signal’

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Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Christianity's 'holiest site', in Jerusalem. (Photo: Larry Koester via Flickr; CC 2.0)
Last week’s closure of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem – Christianity’s ‘holiest site’ – was not just a protest over perceived government intervention; it was an “alarm signal” over the future of the city, according to a church spokesperson. “Can Jerusalem be a holy city for Jews, . . . Read More

Jerusalem church leaders object to municipal tax levy

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Land in Jerusalem is at centre of tensions between municipality and churches. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)
The Jerusalem municipality has announced that churches in the city need to start paying municipal taxes, but church leaders have objected, saying they already “invest billions”. In a statement released yesterday (14 February), the Patriarchs and Church Heads of Jerusalem said charging them taxes “is contrary to the historic position . . . Read More

Do Christians really ‘thrive’ in Israel?

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Jews praying at the Western Wall, Jerusalem. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)
Protests in the southern Israeli town of Dimona have flared up again, two weeks after a meeting centre for Messianic Jews re-opened its doors. The centre was closed in May last year following violent protests by ultra-Orthodox Jews and attacks on the homes of church leaders. Earlier this week a . . . Read More

Trump’s Jerusalem move rejected by Arab Christian leaders, who fear backlash

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Trump's Jerusalem move rejected by Arab Christian leaders, who fear backlash
Church leaders in the Middle East have voiced grave concerns at US President Donald Trump’s announcement that the US will recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital city and move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. There are an estimated 200,000 Christians in the Holy Land, of whom around 50,000 live . . . Read More