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Agence France Presse
November 2, 2012 Friday 8:42 PM GMT
Threat to close Holy Sepulchre over water dispute
JERUSALEM, Nov 2 2012
A dispute with an Israeli water company over unpaid bills has led to a
Greek Orthodox threat to close Christianity's holiest site, the Church
of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.
Maariv newspaper reported on Friday that the Hagihon water company
said it is was owed 9 million shekels ($2.1 million) in unpaid bills
dating back decades.
In protest, the Greek Orthodox patriarchate, a joint custodian of the
church, has threatened to close the Holy Sepulchre, said to be the
site of Jesus's crucifixion and resurrection.
Any such measure, however, would need the agreement of the Catholic
and Armenian churches, which are co-custodians.
The Greek Orthodox Church contends that the Holy Sepulchre was always
treated as a special case and exempted from water fees, unlike other
churches in the Holy Land.
Its bank accounts have been blocked because of the dispute, according
to Maariv, leaving the church unable to pay its priests or expenses,
including electricity and telephone bills.
"Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III has spoken (to church
officials) about taking measures... in protest at Israeli actions
against the church," said Dimitri Diliani, president of the National
Christian Coalition in the Holy Land.
"He is consulting with the heads of churches to take the drastic
measure of shutting down the Church of the Holy Sepulchre," Diliani, a
Greek Orthodox Palestinian, told AFP.
"It's not a matter of money, it's a change in the status quo that has
protected the church for hundreds of years, it's a way to pressure the
churches and to introduce new Israeli-designed measures," said
Diliani.
Maariv said the Greek Orthodox Church has written to Israel's Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres in protest.
scw-jlr-agr/hc/srm
November 2, 2012 Friday 8:42 PM GMT
Threat to close Holy Sepulchre over water dispute
JERUSALEM, Nov 2 2012
A dispute with an Israeli water company over unpaid bills has led to a
Greek Orthodox threat to close Christianity's holiest site, the Church
of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.
Maariv newspaper reported on Friday that the Hagihon water company
said it is was owed 9 million shekels ($2.1 million) in unpaid bills
dating back decades.
In protest, the Greek Orthodox patriarchate, a joint custodian of the
church, has threatened to close the Holy Sepulchre, said to be the
site of Jesus's crucifixion and resurrection.
Any such measure, however, would need the agreement of the Catholic
and Armenian churches, which are co-custodians.
The Greek Orthodox Church contends that the Holy Sepulchre was always
treated as a special case and exempted from water fees, unlike other
churches in the Holy Land.
Its bank accounts have been blocked because of the dispute, according
to Maariv, leaving the church unable to pay its priests or expenses,
including electricity and telephone bills.
"Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III has spoken (to church
officials) about taking measures... in protest at Israeli actions
against the church," said Dimitri Diliani, president of the National
Christian Coalition in the Holy Land.
"He is consulting with the heads of churches to take the drastic
measure of shutting down the Church of the Holy Sepulchre," Diliani, a
Greek Orthodox Palestinian, told AFP.
"It's not a matter of money, it's a change in the status quo that has
protected the church for hundreds of years, it's a way to pressure the
churches and to introduce new Israeli-designed measures," said
Diliani.
Maariv said the Greek Orthodox Church has written to Israel's Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres in protest.
scw-jlr-agr/hc/srm