Today, in a positive atmosphere, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches of the Holy Land met with the Mayor of Jerusalem, Moshe Leon. They personally conveyed the contents of their letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu from earlier in June and expressed their concerns about recent legal actions taken by the municipality against the Churches for the collection of alleged Municipal tax debts.
The Heads of Churches reiterated their firm stance that unilateral actions by the Municipalities are not in line with the Status Quo and the rights of the Churches, which have been recognized and respected for centuries. These rights were granted to the Churches due to their significant contributions to the Holy Land and the Holy City of Jerusalem.
The Heads of Churches emphasized the importance of resolving any pending issues through dialogue with the government, which has a comprehensive understanding of the complex matters and relationships involved. They expressed their willingness to engage in dialogue with the special committee established by the Government in 2018 for this purpose, and hope that the Municipalities will also be involved in finding a holistic solution.
The Heads of Churches are awaiting a response from Prime Minister Netanyahu to their letter and are looking to the Mayor for his positive reception today to facilitate the dialogue process. They aim to reach a favorable outcome that benefits all parties involved.
Source: Patriarchate of Jerusalem