Armenian official: Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem offered  assistance due to threat of seizure of its historical property

ArmInfo. In light of the current situation surrounding the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, including attempts to seize its historical property, the Office of the Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs of Armenia has offered its  support, as stated by Zareh Sinanyan, High Commissioner for Diaspora  Affairs of Armenia, during a press conference in Yerevan on January  12, referring to the attempted forcible seizure of property belonging  to the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem in the Old City.

He stated that he visited Israel in December in connection with these  recent events, noting that the last time an Armenian high-ranking  official visited Armenian communities in Israel was in 2010. "We  discussed all the  issues with the Patriarchate. The status and its  maintenance  there is crucial. The issue of attempted seizure of  historical property was discussed, which calls into question our  presence there. All these issues are not yet resolved, and legal  proceedings are ongoing. I have expressed our willingness to provide  support in these matters," the Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs  noted.

However, he added that he had not yet received a response to this  proposal. As for the issue of raising taxes, he pointed out that the  increase in duties affects not only Armenian but also other faiths.   Nevertheless, he acknowledged that it creates a significant financial  burden for the Patriarchate, which could call into question the  Armenian presence in the Holy Land. 

Recall, in April 2024, Israeli police made multiple attempts to  illegally evict Armenians from the "Cow Garden" of the Armenian  Patriarchate of Jerusalem, destroying property belonging to the  Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem and attacking clergy and local  Armenians. It should be added that, as early as November 5, 2023, the  Armenian community of Jerusalem defended its property 24/7 from  attacks by settlers.

Later, the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem issued an urgent  statement regarding the confiscation of its historic property by the  Jerusalem Municipality. The statement mentioned that the Patriarchate  had filed an administrative petition to halt the seizure of  properties it has owned for centuries, which were related to disputed  arnona (municipal tax) debts allegedly accrued since 1994. The  statement highlighted that if the court denied the petition, it would  not only allow the municipality to immediately resume foreclosure due  to non-payment of certain properties, but also set a dangerous legal  precedent that could legitimize the expropriation of property rights  and the forced liquidation of assets belonging to Christian religious  institutions and communities in Israel. The Save the Garden movement  has consistently urged international organizations to pressure the  Israeli government to resolve this situation, which threatens the  1,700-year- old Armenian presence in the Holy City of Jerusalem.

Recall, in July 2021, the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem signed  an agreement with an Israeli company, granting it the right to build  a luxury hotel on the site of the "Cow Garden" and demolish several  historic buildings. The Patriarchate canceled the deal after protests  from the Armenian community, as well as the Palestinian Authority.  Following this, systematic attacks against the Armenian community  began.