Catholic church slams Israel razing of its property

[Ridgerunner]

I did not know about this incident. It is most unfortunate. However, I think your statement about the lack of respect by the Israeli government, which is not perfect by any means, is too broad.

I think we are missing some information. In the article, it declares that it was church property. It also says it was inhabited by a family of 14. There is probably a way that is consistent, but the article doesn’t give us enough information to know.

Arabs own land in Israel, but not many. Not many Jews do either. Most of Israel is owned by the State of Israel and is simply leased to the residents, not altogether different from the way it is in Hawaii where it’s virtually impossible to buy land and almost everybody leases. I expect it’s true in both places because they’re so tiny.

Palestinian land ownership is often unclear, because before Israel there was no central registry of land ownership. You were deemed to own something if you were there and nobody of consequence said you didn’t. If, of course, somebody of consequence said you didn’t, you would be moved out. In this country, we expect land ownership to be clear and capable of establishment. It’s not like that over there except in Israel itself, and then only after the establishment of the State of Israel.

But in some parts of the West Bank, ownership is clear. Here, for example, is a picture of the home of one Palestinian homeowner. google.com/search?q=munib+masri&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&rlz=1I7ADFA_enUS486&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=fmCFUvuZDqHY2wXW2oHQAw&ved=0CDwQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=571 He owns 70 acres, which is a lot in that part of the world, and nobody contests it.

Impressed me.

 

[GraceSofia]

I thought it was interesting that a Muslim family was living in the house owned by the Patriarchate. Also, according to Zenit, the Patriarchate’s “lawyer admitted there had been court case against the inhabitants concerning the building in question in 2011. The Israeli court had concluded that it was an illegal construction and had ordered the demolition on 26 November 2011. This is reported to be the first time the Israeli government had demolished property belonging to the Church.”

Last year, the Israelis also planted an unsightly electricity pylon right in front of the Church of All Nations in Gethsemane, at the foot of the Mount of Olives.

It also highlights the issue of preserving the holy places of all religions. Following a meeting of the Jerusalem District Court, Judge Yoram Noam said that “the municipality would certainly not allow the power company to build such a horror on the plaza of the Western Wall.”

More: en.lpj.org/2013/10/25/electric-pylon-installed-in-front-of-gethsemane-church/