WAVE: Greek Orthodox Church property case

Heads of churches in Jerusalem on Monday criticized what they see as a breach of the status quo in the capital, claiming there is a “systematic attempt to undermine the integrity of the Holy City of Jerusalem and the Holy Land, and to weaken the Christian presence.” … The church leaders are referring to two…

Church leaders in Jerusalem took the unusual step of issuing a statement protesting a recent ruling by a court in the capital instructing the Greek Orthodox Church to sell three buildings in the Old City to a Jewish settler organization. The statement also expressed opposition to an Israeli draft law transferring to the state ownership of church land sold to private citizens. The statement, published on Monday, was signed by the heads of the Catholic, Ethiopian, Greek Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Lutheran, Syrian and other churches in Jerusalem. In it they protest what they see as a major change to the status quo, and assert that the bill and the court’s ruling hurt not only the Greek Orthodox Church but also the standing of all of Jerusalem’s churches.