Land Dispute Intensifies Between Palestinians and the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem

A street in the Armenian quarter. Pic – Wiki

OCP News Service – 26/9/21

Holy Land-Jerusalem: The land dispute between the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem and a group of Palestinians have intensified recently. A sensitive piece of land was converted as a parking lot in January as part of an agreement between the Patriarchate and the Jerusalem Municipality. This granted Jewish residents in the area to use the lot on an exclusive basis which has caused high concerns among some of the Palestinians and Armenian residents in the area.

However, the Church authorities have stated that no piece of land has been sold and the agreement with Jewish authorities is part of some financial transactions.

The Presidential Church Affairs Committee in Palestine has already sent a letter to the Armenian Patriarch-Archbishop Nourhan Manoogian in Jerusalem stating that the Armenian Quarter belongs to the occupied Palestinian territories. A letter was also sent to Catholicos-Patriarch Karekin II of Armenia.

Some have accused that the Church authorities have been operating on land deals and real estate properties against the wishes of the Armenian faithful in Jerusalem. However, the Armenian Patriarchate has responded that land deal results in a good income for them to run the Patriarchate.

Moreover, a press release from the Patriarchate stated that “His Beatitude the Patriarch, Archbishop Sevan Gharibian and Father Baret Yeretzian, are doing everything possible and spare no effort, to salvage and protect Armenian Properties, as well as to develop them and create and secure a solid and steady income to support the Armenian congregation and to maintain and preserve its assets”.

Source:
OCP News Service