Church leaders fear land deal may uproot Armenian presence in Jerusalem's Old City
Christian leaders in Jerusalem have protested a land deal that they believe has the potential to uproot the Armenian community's historical presence in the Old City.
The contested deal involves leasing about a quarter of the Armenian district of Jerusalem to developers looking to build a luxury hotel development, according to Reuters.
In a joint statement, the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem, including local Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic heads, expressed concern these developments could weaken the Christian presence in the Holy Land.
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"The provocations that are being used by the alleged developers to deploy incendiary tactics threaten to erase the Armenian presence in the area, weakening and endangering the Christian presence in the Holy Land," the statement reads.
"As the Heads of Churches, we express our solidarity with the Armenian Patriarchate and community in their decision to take the proper legal procedures in their cancellation of this transaction and urgently appeal to the relevant governmental and non-governmental bodies able to assist in the matter to help restore the former peace and harmony enjoyed by all those who have used this land in the Armenian Quarter."
Demolition for the project started last week at a carpark, which sparked a protest that included confrontations between demonstrators and armed Israeli Jewish settlers.
The head of the Armenian Church in Jerusalem signed the deal in July 2021, but the community learned of it only when surveyors appeared earlier this year. The church leader claims he was misled and is pursuing legal measures to annul the contract. A priest involved was defrocked in May.
The real estate contract involves leasing the land for 99 years, according to a June report from the Associated Press. Locals say the development deal impacts not just the carpark but also a community hall, the patriarch's garden, a seminary and five residential homes, according to Reuters.
The Armenian community says Australian-Israeli businessman Danny Rubinstein and his Xana Capital Group, registered in the United Arab Emirates, are the investors behind the real estate deal.
As Armenia is believed to be the first nation to adopt Christianity in 301, Armenians hold equal rights in Jerusalem's Holy Christian sites. The Armenian Quarter, dating back to the fourth century, is home to St. James' Cathedral and about 1,000 residents.
"We are having to fight for our existence," Hagop Djernazian, a local student, told Reuters as the community guarded the carpark with barbed wire.
Last week, The Armenian Weekly reported that Armenians held a nonviolent demonstration against construction in their area. The arrival of armed settlers led to police stepping in.
The following day, according to The Weekly, representatives from Xana Gardens arrived with Rubenstein and insisted on the removal of the Armenian residents.
