RAMALLAH, February 25, 2018 (WAFA) - The national reconciliation government Sunday slammed Israel’s intentions to impose municipal taxes on churches as a new aggression against Jerusalem, and the Palestinian people and their holy sites.

Israeli authorities have recently imposed a property tax (Anona) upon churches, worth up to millions of shekels.

Regarding Israel’s proposed land appropriation law, the government warned of the serious consequences of such law, stressing that if passed, it would lead to the seizure of lands belonging to churches.

Government Spokesperson Yousef Al-Mahmoud called for a prompt international intervention to stop these Israeli measures, which he stressed, are a blatant attack on all agreements and international conventions and norms that guarantee the freedom of worship and respect the holiness of religious sites under all circumstances.

Jerusalem’s Christian leaders Sunday decided to close the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in the old City of Jerusalem in protest of Israel’s tax policy and a proposed land appropriation law.

In the meantime, the Supreme Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine confirmed its full support for the position of Patriarchs and heads of churches in Jerusalem to close the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in the old City of Jerusalem in protest of Israel’s tax policy and a proposed land appropriation law.

T.R.