Presidential committee criticizes Armenian patriarchate in Al-Quds for renting church land to Israeli municipality

In light of the fierce Israeli attempts to Judaize occupied Al-Quds, Ramzi Khoury, head of the Higher Presidential Committee for Churches Affairs in Palestine, sent a letter to the Catholicos Karekin II, the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, regarding the Armenian Quarter, located inside the Old City of East Jerusalem (Al-Quds) which is part of the occupied territories on which international resolutions apply, noting that he had previously sent two letters to the Patriarch of the Armenian Orthodox Church in Al-Quds, Nourhan Manougian, seeking clarification about the Armenian Patriarchate renting the piece of land known as Cow’s Garden to the Israeli occupation municipality that seeks to change the historical and geographical character of the neighborhood, which belongs to the Palestinian people of Armenian origin.

The letters stressed that the Patriarchate in Al-Quds is entrusted with this historical neighborhood located in the Holy City since the fifth century, but that unfortunately no responses or clarifications came to the Palestinian leadership from the Patriarchate in this regard as news came from inside and outside Palestine about the above plot of land, which is considered strategic because of its geographical location.

As a result, the Palestinian leadership sent the above-mentioned letter, which stressed on the Armenian Patriarchate in Al-Quds the importance of preserving the legal and historical status of the city, and that Jerusalem is subject to international law, international legitimacy, and relevant United Nations General Assembly and Security Council resolutions, as Israel continues in its aggressive efforts to Judaize Jerusalem, particularly the Old City, and specifically this geographical spot located between Omar Ibn Al-Khattab Square, Jaffa Gate (Bab Al-Khalil) and the Jewish Quarter.

The letter demanded urgent clarifications from the Supreme Patriarch of Armenia and its Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ararat Mirzoyan, regarding what happened to the aforementioned plot of land, emphasizing displeasure and resentment over the performance of the Armenian Patriarchate with the parishioners and the exclusivity of its decisions during recent years, which could have negative repercussions on the final status negotiations and the Status Quo, as well as on the custodianship of Jordan over the holy places in East Al-Quds.

The Palestinian leadership has been in contact with all relevant authorities in this regard, especially with Jordan and the Republic of Armenia, as well as the heads of churches inside and outside the Holy Land.