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Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC, 2019.

Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC, 2019.

The WCC’s executive committee took note of a recent decision by the Jerusalem District Court in a longstanding property dispute involving churches there and encouraged the Israeli government to respect the rights of Christian churches in the Old City.

The years-long court case involved property near the Jaffa Gate, at the entrance to the Christian Quarter, and claimed by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, which is seeking to void sale of leases of the properties.

“We join with the Heads of the Churches and Christian Communities in Jerusalem in appealing to the government of Israel to act in order to safeguard the integrity of the Christian heritage and patrimony in the Old City, as well as the Holy Sites and the rights of the residents of the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem", according to the statement.

See the minute from the executive committee

Prior WCC statements on just peace in Israel and Palestine