Group of terrorists in black clothes and masks attack Armenians in Cow Garden area of Armenian quarter of Jerusalem; there are wounded among community members

ArmInfo. Today, a group of  terrorists in black clothes and masks, about 30 people, armed with  sticks, tear gas grenades and other means attacked the Armenians in  the "Cow Garden" area of the Armenian quarter of Jerusalem.

According to the Israelahayer.com website, "the terrorists began to  throw stones at the Armenians." The Armenian youths and the Armenian  clerics, taken by surprise, entered into a real fight, giving a  proportionate response and keeping the area 200 meters away under  their control until the police of the old city arrived belatedly on  the scene. 

The attack was stopped. Two Armenians were detained. It is still  unknown whether the attackers have been detained," the site writes.

Meanwhile, the Jerusalem Patriarchate reported that several priests,  students, and native Armenians were seriously injured.

"This is the criminal response that we received for filing a lawsuit  in the Jerusalem District Court on the issue of the "Cow Garden",  which was officially received by the court 24 hours ago. The threat  to the existence of the Armenian Patriarchate has now become a  physical reality. Priests and indigenous Armenians are fighting for  their lives on the ground. We call on the authorities and  international media around the world to help us save the Armenian  Quarter from violent destruction, which is supported at the local  level by anonymous organizations," the Patriarchate said.

The Armenian  Patriarchate leased part of the Armenian quarter of the  old city of  Jerusalem to an Israeli company for 99 years. The  Armenian community  of Jerusalem opposed this deal, organizing  several protests.  On  November 1 of this year, Father Aghan  Gogchyan, Chancellor of the  Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, ,  announced that the Armenian  Patriarchate of Jerusalem sent a letter  to Xana Gardens Ltd,  informing them that it was terminating the  contract dated July 8,  2021 regarding the Cow Garden estate in the  Armenian Quarter of the  Old City in Jerusalem.  The Cow Garden is  located on the historic  Mount Zion, in the southwest corner of  Jerusalem's Armenian Quarter.  Back in November 2021, the Supreme  Spiritual Council under the Mother  See of Etchmiadzin discussed the  issue of leasing the Cow Garden  estate of the Jerusalem Armenian  Patriarchate and called for the  cancellation of this decision.