The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem has been shut in a rare move in protest against Israeli discriminatory policy including imposing new tax on church properties and the proposed land expropriation law.

A statement issued during a press conference held by Theophilos III, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Francesco Patton, the Custos of the Holy Land and Nourhan Manougian, the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem reads: “As a measure of protest, we decided to take this unprecedented step of closure of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.”

One of holiest places in Christianity which is believed to be the site of Jesus' crucifixion and burial and is a major pilgrimage site, will remain closed until further notice, the church leaders said in the statement.

“Together with all Heads of Churches in the Holy Land we stand united, firm and resolute in protecting our rights and our properties.”

Meanwhile, an Israeli cabinet committee will consider a bill on Sunday to allow the state to expropriate land in Jerusalem sold by churches to private real estate firms since 2010.The bill was proposed by Kulanu MK Rachel Azaria claiming it aims to protect homeowners against the possibility that private companies will not extend their leases.

“This abhorrent bill ... if approved, would make the expropriation of the lands of churches possible,” the church leaders said, describing it as a "systematic campaign of abuse against churches and Christians reaches now its peak as a discriminatory and racist bill that targets solely the properties of the Christian community.”

“The greatest victims [of the latest moves] in this are those impoverished families who will go without food and housing, as well as the children who will be unable to attend school,” the statement reads.