Auxiliary Bishop William Shomali of Jerusalem expressed hope that the Church and municipal authorities can reach a compromise in a long-standing property tax dispute.
“A distinction must be made between for-profit activities, such as certain guesthouses for pilgrims and institutions with a strictly religious, educational or social purpose,” Bishop Shomali said in an interview.
“If an agreement were reached regarding for-profit activities, it is likely that the Churches would only be required to pay the tax in the future, without retroactive effect,” he continued. “As for schools, hospitals, social centers and purely religious institutions, the Churches hope that they will continue to benefit from [the] traditional exemption.”