As anyone who has ever looked to buy land or a home in Jerusalem quickly learns, one of the first questions one asks is if the land is built on Church Property.

It's a big problem as a lot of Jerusalem land is owned by the Catholic Church, and it is never sold. It is only leased for a certain period of time - and the Church can unilaterally decide to not renew the lease.

As I write this, rumors are flying around that during the Pope's upcoming trip to Jerusalem he will be handed a gift. He will be given even more Jerusalem land.

More specifically, the Pope (God forbid) will be given all or part of Mount Zion - including the site often identified as the Tomb of King David, and the land upon which the Diaspora Yeshiva sits.





The Foreign Ministry keeps denying this rumor, but it is difficult to believe them.

But it's not just Jerusalem that is in danger. The Vatican's hand-over list of sites include areas near the Kinneret Lake and Ceasaria.

One good piece of news is that the Kotel will not be shut down for the Pope's visit. At least someone knows how to stand up for what is right.