Palestinian Authority Expresses Concern Over Leasing of Land to Israelis by the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem

JERUSALEM — In light of the Israeli intensified efforts to Judaize Jerusalem, Dr. Ramzi Khoury the president of the Higher Presidential Committee of Churches Affaires in Palestine, sent a letter to the Catholicos of all Armenians Karekin II concerning the Armenian quarter inside the old city of East Jerusalem. In the letter Dr. Khoury stressed the fact that the quarter is an integral part of the Palestinian occupied territory governed by the resolution of international legitimacy.

He noticed that he had previously sent two letters to his beatitude Nourhan Manougian, Patriarch of the Armenian Orthodox Church in Jerusalem for further clarification on the Armenian Patriarchate’s leasing of the plot of land – known as the Cow’s Garden- to the Israelis occupation municipality and thus the patriarchate’s involvement in the implementation of the Israeli occupation municipality plan aiming at altering the historical and topographical features of the Armenian quarter which is owned by Palestinians of Armenian origin. Furthermore, Dr Khoury pointed out in the letter that the Armenian quarter located in the holy city has been entrusted to the Armenian patriarchate since the fifth century.

Unfortunately, however, the Palestinian leadership has not received any clarification from the Armenian Patriarchate, and there was a massive diffusion of news from both internal and external sources about the fate of the previously mentioned land plot. Due to the important geographical and strategic location of the plot of land, the Palestinian leadership deemed it incumbent upon itself to demand clarification from the Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem aiming at preserving the legal and historical status of the city of Jerusalem. The Palestinian leadership also indicated that the international law, international legitimacy and relevant United Nations General Assembly resolutions apply to Jerusalem, particularly at the present time, especially with Israeli’s attempts to Judaize the area situated between Omar ibn al-khattab square, Jaffa Gate, and the Jewish Quarter in the Old City.

Furthermore, the Palestinian leadership required urgent clarification from Armenian minister of foreign Affairs and the Patriarch of Armenian on the circumstances of what happened of the above-mentioned plot of land.

Moreover, the Palestinian leadership communicated the discomfort and outrage of the about the actions of the Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem, accusing the patriarchate of taking unilateral decisions during the past few years. These decisions, the Palestinian leadership pointed out, might have negative repercussions on the final status negotiations, the status quo in Jerusalem, in this regard, the Palestinian leadership has intensified its contacts with all relevant authorities, particularly with Jordan, Armenia, and the Heads of Churches in the Holy Land and the world.