Palestinian Church Threatens to Sue Israeli Newspaper

A Christian boy holds a Palestinian flag during a protest in the Greek Orthodox Church in Gaza City against Israeli army operations

4/12/2011

JERUSALEM, December 4, 2011 (WAFA) – The Palestinian Roman Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem threatened Sunday to sue Israeli newspaper Haaretz for publishing false reports about the patriarchate, according to a press release.

It said the patriarchate lawyers will prosecute Haaretz, and its economical supplement TheMarker, if they do not debunk false reports published recently about the church, and stop “tampering with Orthodox affairs, spreading confusion and publishing misleading information.”

Spokesman of the patriarchate, Father Issa Mousleh, said Haaretz published a series of false reports, the latest of which alleged that the patriarchate leased land in Galilee to a power company to build an electricity plant, despite the fact that the patriarchate does not own any property in that area.

The patriarchate lawyers addressed the newspaper and demanded a refutation of the news, added Mousleh.

He indicated that Haaretz recently published several inaccurate reports that slander the church’s reputation, adding that several Israeli newspapers tend to publish false news on the church during the holiday seasons to cause disturbance and problems for the Orthodox parish, and then refute them after the damage is done.

R.Q./F.J.

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