Saturday, November 03, 2012

Will Israelis Shut the Church of the Holy Sepulcher?

The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate says it might have to close Jerusalem's Christian shrine, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, because an Israeli water company is breaking its deal with the church.

The church says it's had a deal going back to 1969 under which water was supplied at no charge.   The Israeli water company, it claims, breached that agreement in 2004 and has since seized the church bank accounts claiming a $2.3-million outstanding water bill.

Something not mentioned in the news accounts is where the water comes from that the Israeli utility has provided to the church "going back to 1969."   I wouldn't be surprised that it turns out to be water pumped out of an aquifer, Palestinian water, taken by Israelis after the Occupation. 

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