Holy Sepulchre church in Jerusalem closes in protest of Israeli policy

Church leaders closed Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Sunday in protest against Israeli taxation and land policy affecting church property.

Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Armenian church leaders said the holy site, where many Christians believe Jesus was crucified and buried, would be closed until further notice.

A statement by the leaders accused Israel of a "systematic and unprecedented attack against Christians in the Holy Land" in pursuing a new tax policy and a proposed land appropriation law.

Palestinian Christians in recent months protested against the Greek Orthodox patriarch of the Holy Land, demanding the resignation of Theophilos III for selling church land to private Israeli real estate companies.

The church is one of the largest real estate owners in Jerusalem.

It is dominated by Greek clergy while the flock is overwhelmingly Palestinian. 

With 1,500 Jerusalemite homeowners discovering that the land under their homes has been sold, they face uncertainty as to what may come next after their leases expire.

Activists have presented documents they say proves the patriarch sold land in sweetheart deals, allegedly worth $32.4 million and demanded that the church open its books and that Theophilos III resigns.