Armenian Quarter In Jerusalem

[Yervant1]

Reuters

Nov 19 2023

Jerusalem Christians rally round Armenian Church over land deal

By Crispian Balmer

• Summary

• Land deal could change the face of old Jerusalem


• Armenian patriarch signed deal, now says he was misled


• Armenian community says it will wipe out their history

JERUSALEM, Nov 19 (Reuters) - The heads of the Christian Churches in Jerusalem issued a rare joint appeal at the weekend, warning that a contested land deal could erase the centuries-old presence of the Armenian community within the Old City.

The ethnic Armenian community has its own district within the ancient city of Jerusalem under borders drawn by Ottoman rulers - the smallest of the four quarters, which also include highly distinct Muslim, Jewish and Christian neighbourhoods.

However Armenians say they risk being uprooted by a deal to lease about 25% of their area to developers who want to build a luxury hotel on the site.

The deal was signed by the head of the Armenian Church in Jerusalem in July 2021, but members of his community said the first they heard of it was when surveyors started work in the area this year.

He has told his congregation that he was misled and has started legal action to get the contract annulled. The priest who brokered the accord on his behalf was defrocked by the Church Synod in May and he has left Jerusalem.

Despite the legal challenge, bulldozers arrived last week and started tearing up a carpark, which covers some of the contested land. When protesters blocked the work, armed Israeli Jewish settlers turned up in a failed effort to disperse the demonstration.

"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 Christian leaders wrote, including the heads of the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches.

The Armenian community says the investor behind the land lease deal is an Australian-Israeli businessman Danny Rubinstein, who owns a company registered in the United Arab Emirates - Xana Capital Group. A company sign was posted in the parking lot shortly after the surveyors turned up.

Rubinstein did not respond to a request for a comment about the project sent via his Linked-In account.

PARITY

By tradition, Armenia was the first kingdom to convert to Christianity as a state religion in 301, and although its Church is much smaller than the Greek Orthodox and Catholic Churches, it has parity of rights at Jerusalem's Holy Christian sites.

At the heart of their Quarter lies the ornately decorated St. James's Cathedral, which dates to 420 A.D., strung with precious lamps and often infused with the haunting singing of its black-cowled monks.

The Quarter covers a sixth of walled Jerusalem and houses just 1,000 people, a fraction of the Old City's 35,000-strong population.

Armenian locals say the land lease project would consume not just their carpark, the largest open space in the Old City, but also their community hall, the patriarch's garden, the seminary and five family houses.

"The Armenians have been here since the 4th Century, but we now risk being uprooted," said Hagop Djernazian, 23, a student, who is part of a group guarding the carpark night and day, with barbed wire strung out to try to keep out developers and settlers. "We are having to fight for our existence," he said.

Daniel Seidemann, an activist Israeli lawyer who closely monitors the spread of Jewish settlers around Jerusalem, said the project was aimed at expanding the footprint of the Jewish Quarter across half the Old City.

Israel captured East Jerusalem, including the Old City, from Jordanian forces in a 1967 war. Israel regards the entire city as its eternal and undivided capital. Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state.

"We are aware of a plan to encircle the outside the Old City with settlement projects. We suspect this Armenia Quarter deal is meant to be a continuation of this plan inside the city walls," Seidemann told Reuters.

"However, there is so much irregularity surrounding it that there is a good chance the courts will reject it."

Reporting by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Andrew Heavens

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/jerusalem-christians-rally-round-armenian-church-over-land-deal-2023-11-19/

[Yervant1]

Nov 17 2023

Armenian Community Steps Up Resistance to Land Deal as Xana Gardens Intensifies Violent Takeover Efforts

November 17, 2023

Arda Aghazarian

With speed and determination, the Armenian community of Jerusalem has organized itself to stand up to Israeli attempts to seize historic and vital Armenian communal property.

Jerusalem Story has published several stories about the standoff between Israel and Jerusalem’s Armenian community regarding control of Armenian church property. Since that reporting earlier in November, aggressive moves by Israeli entities have forced the Armenian community to respond quickly and collectively to defend their rights. At stake is not only the rights of the Armenian community but also the very presence of the Christian community in Jerusalem.

The Armenian property at the center of this drama is estimated to extend over 11,500 square meters, which makes up 25 percent of the Armenian Quarter of the Old City.1 Since 2021, the hotel development company Xana Gardens Ltd. has claimed that through an agreement with the Armenian Patriarchate, it now has the right to develop it.

However, over the summer, a delegation of Armenian local and international lawyers2 was finally able to obtain the contract, and they discovered a number of serious irregularities.

On November 1, 2023, the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem announced that on October 26, 2023, it informed Xana Gardens Ltd. of its decision to cancel the 2021 agreement it had signed with the company regarding the property.

The Patriarchate said that an extensive legal review post-signing found that the contract had been unlawful, falsely represented, and with undue influence, and that it disregards the Patriarchate’s legal position.3 Moreover, its legal team filed a case in Israel courts to cancel the agreement on October 31, 2023.

At stake is not only the rights of the Armenian community but also the very presence of the Christian community in Jerusalem.

Spiralling Out of Control

On November 5, Xana Gardens majority shareholder Danny Rothman/Rubinstein, an Australian-Jewish investor, and his deputy, Israeli Palestinian citizen George Warwar, brought in about 15 settlers armed with assault rifles and trained attack dogs to provoke, harass, and intimidate the Armenian community—as well as to create facts on the ground.

At least one person present among the settlers, an investigation by The New Arab found, is a known extremist member of the Israeli settlement movement who identifies himself as a “hilltop settlement activist,” is associated with right-wing Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Gen-Gvir, and had previously been placed in administrative detention by Israel in 2005.4

About a week later, Armenians were shocked to see bulldozers in the area. Because the case has not yet been decided in the courts, the company has no legal standing to do anything in the area. Yet the Xana bulldozers proceeded to demolish parts of the Armenian Quarter’s parking lot area and threatened to cause more harm.

Demolitions Underway

On Sunday, November 12, 2023, a Xana Gardens bulldozer attempted to demolish a stone wall by the Armenian parking lot. The Armenian community immediately organized themselves and set up a barricade to block access to the site.

At 7:00 a.m. the next day, two bulldozers showed up and attempted to tear down the barricade. They were confronted by community members who created a human fence, preventing the bulldozers from moving.

The community members were joined by the Patriarch, and again they erected a tent to maintain a physical presence on the site.

Substantial Escalation

Despite the valiant efforts of Armenian community members, some of the area has been bulldozed, and more settlers with heavy arms showed up.

On Wednesday, November 15, things got especially tense when around 20 Israeli police forces showed up. Although the community argued that no legal decision had been made about the property and no permits had been secured for the demolition work, the police demanded the premises be vacated and threatened that they would detain and arrest the community members. They then did in fact detain three people—one of them a minor—for answering back to them, presumably to intimidate the group; the three were soon released. The two adults were ordered to stay away from the site for 15 days.5

Hagop Djernazian, an active member of the Armenian community and a spokesperson on this issue, has noted that the Israeli police has been cooperating with the company to remove the community members and take possession of the land. In a public statement dated November 17, he described the armed people who barged into the area as “mafia” that were hired to harm and provoke the community members and priests.

Urgent Pleas

On November 16, the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem released an urgent communique, saying “The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem is under possibly the greatest existential threat of its 16-century history,” which “fully extends to all the Christian communities of Jerusalem.” The statement concluded, “We plead with the entirety of the Christian communities of Jerusalem to stand with the Armenian Patriarchate in these unprecedented times as this is another clear step taken toward the endangerment of the Christian presence in Jerusalem and the holy land.”6

On November 17, the Armenian National Committee issued a statement on the matter:

The Armenian National Committee–International, working in concert with the global network of Armenian National Committees, strongly supports the Armenian community of Jerusalem and the Armenian Patriarchate in protecting their millennia-old rights.

The settlement of this matter must be made exclusively on the basis of local and international laws, without the threat or use of force.

The rights of Armenians in Jerusalem are a matter of concern to all Armenians, hence a threat to the Armenians of Jerusalem represents a threat against all Armenians and will be dealt with accordingly.7

“The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem is under possibly the greatest existential threat of its 16-century history.”

Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem

On November 18, 2023, the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem added their voice with another communique, which stated, in part:

We as the Christian community of Jerusalem and the Holy Land, share grave concern over the recent events taking place in the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem. In recent days, a contested contract for development on a considerable portion of the Armenian Quarter has been declared canceled. Instead of it being handled through the proper legal channels. The alleged developers have decided to hire armed provocateurs, obstruct parking entrances, and begin demolition work.

We are worried that these events potentially endanger the Armenian presence in the area, weakening and endangering the Christian presence in the Holy Land . . .

We are convinced that matters of this nature should be handled only through legal negotiations and procedures to avoid further escalations and violence.8

As of this time, the community intends to guard the land with their own physical presence around the clock. Several community members made it a point to sleep on the site. Worried and exhausted, they nevertheless have found great strength in working collectively to protect the area. They have been providing tea, coffee, soups, and food—and have even been organizing leisurely activities (such as playing UNO and having informal lectures) to keep each other company during this difficult time. They have also set up an online fundraiser to gather resources for legal and organizing expenses to raise awareness about this urgent issue.

The creative and ingenious ways in which the Armenians have been organizing themselves offers a lesson in the power of collective work. Meanwhile, there is still much anxiety and deep concern about the dire consequences of losing this property: It would deny the community members access to and use of their land, eliminate their only remaining parking space inside the Old City, and even displace some residents from their homes. It would also insert a much-coveted link between West Jerusalem and the Jewish Quarter of the Old City.

Most importantly, it would eradicate the unique character of this important part of the city and erase the significant history and presence of its people.

 

https://www.jerusalemstory.com/en/article/armenian-community-steps-resistance-land-deal-xana-gardens-intensifies-violent-takeover

[Yervant1]

Nov 6 2023

Clash Over Armenian Quarter Land Lease Deal Turns Physical

November 6, 2023

Snapshot

Xana Capital Ltd. arrived at the Cows’ Garden parking lot, the main lot used by Armenians in the Armenian Quarter, to seize possession by digging it up. The community stood in their way.

The showdown over the land lease for the Cows’ Garden parking lot area moved from the courts into the lot itself on November 5, 2023.

Around 3:00 p.m., developer and majority shareholder Danny Rothman of Xana Capital Ltd. arrived at the site with about 15 armed settlers and two large leashed attack dogs, pepper spray, a bulldozer, and his business partner and Israeli citizen George Warwar (also known as George Haddad).

They set to work tearing up the parking lot pavement into large chunks.

The armed Xana men ominously formed a line to block community members from accessing the work site and were also filming them as they began protesting.

According to a press release issued by the local organization Save the ArQ, Warwar demanded the Armenians leave what he called their land. “Warwar threatened the community, claiming he’ll ‘get them one by one.’” The settlers were also active, announcing that the Armenians are all “‘Goys (non Jews) and we will kill you when the Messiah comes.’”1

A number of the settlers were dressed in civilian clothes and armed with assault rifles and stated that they were part of the Kitat Konenut First Response Team. This is the force that Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has been building up lately—handing out assault rifles to hundreds of ragtag Jewish volunteers. When questioned by a reporter why this team needed to carry assault rifles into a peaceful situation, a police officer at the site answered on the live feed, “Half the country is armed.”2

One bystander with a gun was asked by journalist Nicole Schiavi Jansezian, a local journalist reporting live from the scene on Facebook,3 why he had it. “We just came to help out,” he said. “In my opinion when someone responds with a gun, it keeps everyone polite.” Moreover, he added, “The police told me I should not come into the Old City without a gun.”4

 

The community did not disperse; instead, the group summoned more neighbors and lawyers to stand down the threat. About 200 Armenians remained on-site into the night, after erecting a protest tent, large Armenian flags, and a flag of Artsakh, and singing the Armenian national anthem at the scene.

The Armenian Patriarch, His Beatitude Archbishop Nourhan Manougian, also joined the protestors and sat in the protest tent along with other bishops.

Less than a week ago, Manougian released a letter stating his intention to cancel the ill-fated and despised land lease deal and filed a legal suit in Israeli courts to accomplish this, setting off a process that should proceed in the courts, not on the ground.

Apparently, this did not sit well with Rothman and his team. Two hours later, however, they departed—outnumbered for the moment.

“Right here what you see is a land war that goes on. It’s the kind of thing that goes on even when there are not rockets flying, there is always a battle for land here,” commented Jansezian.5

Notes

1

“Armenian Patriarch Joins Protestors of Land Deal,” Milhilard, accessed November 5, 2023.

2

Nicole Schiavi Jansezian, “The developer who leased the Armenian Quarter parking lot,” Facebook, November 5, 2023.

3

Jansezian, “The developer.”

https://www.jerusalemstory.com/en/article/clash-over-armenian-quarter-land-lease-deal-turns-physical

[Yervant1]

The Christian Post

Nov 21 2023

Church leaders fear land deal may uproot Armenian presence in Jerusalem's Old City

By Anugrah Kumar, Christian Post Contributor

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.

"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.

https://www.christianpost.com/news/church-leaders-fear-land-deal-may-uproot-armenians-in-jerusalem.html

[Yervant1]

Nov 24 2023

‘We won’t leave’: Armenians in Jerusalem push back against armed settlers

A controversial real estate project threatens the world’s oldest Armenian diaspora community. But they refuse to move.

Old City, occupied East Jerusalem – After learning that settlers had returned to bulldoze in an area of the parking lot near his house in the Armenian Quarter, 80-year-old Garo Nalbandian, a professional photographer, joined a community sit-in in the area known as the Cows’ Garden with, of course, his trusty camera.

“We won’t leave,” a determined Nalbandian said gruffly in between snapping photos of Armenians on one side of the makeshift barricade and Israeli police and hired security on the other.

On October 26, the leader of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem announced it would cancel a once-secret 2021 land lease deal with a real estate company that has alleged links to settler interests.

Since then, representatives from the company, Xana Gardens, have sent contractors, armed settlers and bulldozers to seize the land – which, along with the parking lot, includes Armenian Church property and the homes of Nalbandian and four other families.

The 1,600-year-old Armenian community is concentrated in the confines of the Armenian Quarter, occupying 14 percent of the Old City of Jerusalem at its southwestern corner.

“You know all your neighbours. If I don’t have milk at 1am, I just knock on their door. If I don’t have bread, I call my friend,” said Setrag Balian, 26, one of the leaders of the current movement to reverse the land deal.

“We take care of each other’s kids, of our families.”

This Armenian community – the oldest Armenian diaspora in the world – has seen its population decline from some 27,000 people a century ago to about 1,000 today.

Yet, with each attempted demolition, the community flocks in numbers at a moment’s notice, standing in the way of bulldozers while withstanding threats of arrest and armed intimidation.

Nalbandian’s family risks losing the home they’ve lived in since 1969, under the deal. Garo’s wife, Hrout, whose family has been in Jerusalem as far back as the 8th or 9th century, describes her sweet memories of the decades of getting engaged, married and raising kids in their modest one-storey home.

“Wherever we walk, it’s like we are in Armenia,” she said. “We have like a big family for the Armenians. After so many years … to become homeless, this is very hard.”

Garo’s studio in Wadi al-Joz is adorned with breathtaking photos he has taken of streets and cities around the world, from Athens to Alexandria. “But our beautiful Armenian Quarter is like nowhere else,” Garo remarked. “We must protect it.”

A controversial deal

The community’s suspicions of Israeli settler aspirations in the Cows’ Garden started in 2019 when an Israeli company began construction on that same parking lot. At the time, the patriarchate told the community the aim was to renovate the lot, nothing more, but the parking lot’s April 2021 inauguration was curiously attended by Moshe Lion, the mayor of Jerusalem, and bedecked with enough Israeli flags to raise eyebrows.

The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem – the community’s spiritual leadership, biggest employer and de facto landlord – struck a deal in July that year with Xana Gardens, a company incorporated that same month and led by the Australian Israeli investor Danny Rothman.

For two years, church leaders kept the community in the dark about the terms or even existence of the deal, despite persistent rumours. On April 1 this year, witnesses say, Rothman – also known in documents as Danny Rubenstein and Danny Kaufman – came to the Cows’ Garden parking lot with security, breaking security cameras and dismissing patriarchate guards, claiming he was taking over.

As years of rumours and suspicions about the deal spilled into the open, Setrag Balian and Hagop Djernazian, 23, led the younger generation of Armenians in fighting the land takeover. Balian, who works for his family’s ceramics business, joined Djernazian, a student at Hebrew University, for months of protests near Armenian Patriarch Nourhan Manougian’s offices.

“I see myself creating my future here,” said Djernazian, who also leads the Armenian Scouts. “I study here, I work here, I live here. And this is my plan to continue living here. The deal threatens our continued existence here.”

A report in July this year by an international team of Armenian lawyers finally exposed the deal publicly.

In it, the patriarchate agreed to give Xana Gardens a 49-year lease – with an option to renew another 49 – of the Cows’ Garden to build a luxury hotel.

Only Xana Gardens could cancel the agreement, which was for at least 11,500 square metres (123,785 square feet), but Xana could include “adjacent properties in the project”.

A plan submitted by Danny Rothman to the Jerusalem Municipality in May sought 14,500sq metres – not 11,500 – for the hotel, with a “target area” of 16,000sq metres (172,222sq feet), according to the report on the deal. Such an area would encompass 13 percent of the entire Armenian Quarter.

For this large swath of prized land on contested Mount Zion, Xana Gardens would pay only $300,000 in yearly rent.

Miran Krikorian, 40, a restaurant owner born and raised in the Armenian Quarter, says he pays nearly a quarter of that amount for only 30 square metres (323 square feet) he rents nearby for his small restaurant in the Christian Quarter.

“Either somebody got money under the table to pass this deal, or it’s just our people are so dumb that they don’t know the prices in this country,” said Krikorian.

Growing pressure, growing threats

For months, newly installed security guards from Xana Gardens threatened to ban community members from using the parking lot if they attended the protests, adding to threats church officials allegedly made towards individuals who protested. But the community refused to relent.

Pressure on the church to cancel the deal increased when Jordan and the Palestinian Authority withdrew their recognition of Patriarch Manougian in May, as they saw the deal threatening the status quo in the Old City, and amid concerns that stakeholders had not been consulted. The PA, Jordan and Israel are the three political authorities that endow recognition to the patriarchs in Jerusalem. The patriarchate did not respond to a request for comments.

“A lot of the younger generation had to learn through this ordeal why it’s important to stay in Jerusalem and why presence matters,” said Kegham Balian, Setrag’s brother who has written on the issue for Armenian news outlets.

Manougian’s decision to cancel the deal on October 26 put to rest the Armenian community’s internal divide on the issue. Later that same day, however, Israeli heavy machinery arrived at the disputed site to try to begin demolition.

Armenians rushed to the Cows’ Garden, standing in front of machinery that was tearing up a pavement and a wall separating the patriarchate parking lot from the community parking lot.

Ten days later, on November 5, representatives from Xana Gardens, including Rothman, returned. This time, they brought about 15 settlers with them, several of them armed and leading leashed dogs.

“This is our land,” they reportedly told local Armenians. “Leave now.”

But the Armenians refused to leave. A tense standoff ensued for hours, with more settlers arriving and yet more Armenians joining, eventually overwhelming the armed settlers.

Some of the settlers attempted to provoke community members, residents said. “You’re all goys, and when the Messiah comes, you will die,” one of them told them.

“I will get you, one by one!” George Warwar, a Christian Arab from Jaffa who had been the face of Xana Gardens on the ground in the months leading up to the encounter, reportedly shouted.

This was the first time most in the community had encountered Rothman, who, when approached by journalists, has refused to speak to the media. According to Setrag Balian, Rothman, who normally lives overseas, told police during the standoff the community wanted to cancel the deal because he is Jewish.

“It’s because now you’re bringing armed settlers and showing the true face of your company,” Setrag Balian recalled telling Rothman that day. “It’s because this deal is not a good deal for the patriarchate.

“We’ve lived with our Jewish Quarter neighbours for 50 years without any major incidents,” he continued.

The act of peaceful defiance forced Rothman and his group to withdraw after several hours.

“Just by the look on Danny Rothman’s face,” said Kegham Balian, “you could tell he wasn’t expecting the events to unfold like they did that day.”

‘It did not scare us – it empowered us’

Negotiations are under way for the church to provide greater transparency regarding the administration of community lands and affairs, a key demand from protesters.

With the internal divide on the land agreement now set aside – and the war in Gaza drawing the world’s attention – Armenian residents say Xana Gardens’ tactics are shifting to outright armed confrontation.

“They thought it would scare us,” said Setrag Balian of the armed threats. “But it didn’t scare us – it empowered us. We are more united than ever.”

Manougian, often criticised by Armenians for an absence in leadership, has been present during standoffs this month. A November 16 communique by the Armenian Patriarchate described the situation as “possibly the greatest existential threat of its 16-century history”, condemning the 2021 contract as “tainted with false representation, undue influence, and unlawful benefits”.

Armenians fear their small, tight-knit community won’t survive if they lose the Cows’ Garden, which comprises much of the Armenian Quarter outside the Armenian Convent – a private area originally intended for clergy, but now housing many Armenians who moved there about a century ago in the aftermath of the Armenian Genocide.

The prized land is seen as pivotal to Israeli settler plans, as a long-term lease would complete a path for Jewish worshippers to cross the Old City from Jaffa Gate to the Jewish Quarter without crossing Christian properties, following previous purchases of the New Imperial Hotel and Petra Hotel along that route.

Since the first armed confrontation by Rothman and settlers, Armenians have been taking shifts at the Cows’ Garden, where two bulldozers are parked.

Contractors hired by Xana Gardens attempted to bulldoze the area early in the morning on November 12 and 13. Both times, the community sprang into action, putting up a metal barricade on the 12 and, on the 13, standing in a bulldozer’s path.

The community has remained nonviolent throughout the confrontations, at the behest of movement leaders like Balian and Djernazian.

As demolition attempts by the company continue – including an incident on November 15 in which Palestinians hired by Xana Gardens to dismantle the barricade left when they realised they had been hired by settlers – the community remains resolute.

During the standoffs, police threatened to arrest Armenians, and several have been arrested for transgressions like shouting, according to community members. They were released the same day, but banned by police from returning to the area.

Police have attempted to enforce the bulldozing efforts – although they have failed so far with Xana Gardens unable to present the required permits – before the land deal finds its way to court to be adjudicated, as stakeholders expect to happen.

A rotating group of Armenians now sleeps in the Cows’ Garden at night, and community members provide volunteers with food, tea, couches and even a tent for 24/7 surveillance.

“This has to do with the future of my kid,” said Krikorian of his four-year-old boy, his eyes welling with tears.

“If I think about all those things that my kid is going to lose, like this community, like being with his friends … I grew up in that, and I want him to have the same experiences.

“If I don’t do anything now, I’m going to lose it for him in the future.”

https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/11/24/we-wont-leave-armenians-in-jerusalem-push-back-against-armed-settlers

[Yervant1]

The Irish Times

Nov 26 2023

Disputed land deal threatens future of Jerusalem’s Armenian community

‘Jerusalem would not be Jerusalem without a vibrant Armenian community,’ an Israeli lawyer says

Hannah McCarthy in Jerusalem

Sun Nov 26 2023 - 14:00

It’s almost midnight and a group of people nervously talk among themselves on Armenian Orthodox Patriarchate Road in Jerusalem’s old city. One man holds a muzzled dog, while another speaks anxiously on a phone. The group becomes agitated as an Israeli police car drives down the narrow street towards the car park that lies on land owned by the local Armenian church.

Inside the car park, about 200 local residents of the Armenian quarter are gathered at the site that they say is under threat from an Israeli-Australian property developer. Known as the Cow’s Garden, the site includes a seminary, community hall, five homes and represents 25 per cent of the Armenian quarter’s land in the old city. Surrounded by historic ramparts, the car park is an important space for the 1,000 Armenians who still live within the old city and a possible site for affordable housing.

Many protesters are descendants of those displaced by the Armenian genocide committed by Turkish Ottomans more than a century ago, although the Armenian presence in Jerusalem dates back more than 1,600 years. “There were contacts between Armenia and Palestine even before Christ, and the Cathedral of St James – which stands today at the heart of Jerusalem’s Armenian community – was founded around 420 AD,” says Matthew Teller, author of Nine Quarters of Jerusalem. Like Palestinians in the old city, Armenians are technically stateless and deemed residents rather than full citizens of Israel, after its forces occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank in 1967.

The Armenian community’s future is under threat after its local religious leader, known as a patriarch, Nourhan Manougian, entered into a controversial deal in 2021 to lease church land to Xana Capital, a United Arab Emirates company owned by an Israeli-Australian property developer who plans to build a hotel. The developer did not respond to a request for comment sent on LinkedIn.

Local resident Kegham Balian says the deal undervalued the old city site and should never have been agreed to without the community’s consent. One priest who was heavily involved in the deal has since been defrocked and after significant backlash, Manougian says he cancelled the deal with Xana Capital last month – although members of the community have not yet seen the letter cancelling the lease.

Despite the deal supposedly being cancelled and no court order enforcing the lease, armed Israeli settlers turned up at the car park on November 5th with dogs and pepper spray; while diggers remain at the site, after arriving earlier this month and knocking down one wall and digging up in one section of the car park. The Armenian community rallied in response and set up a 24-hour watch to prevent further demolition, which senior church leaders in Jerusalem criticised as “illegal actions”.

On this night, those gathered at the car park were joined by patriarch Manougian – who arrived in a black Mercedes and refused to speak to these pages – and several priests who led locals in prayers. “We’re peaceful and we get on with our Jewish and Palestinian neighbours,” says Balian, “but if we don’t make a stand here, the entire Cow’s Garden will be gone.”

Earlier that evening, Setrag Balian says the Israeli police arrived with a private security company and told them that if they didn’t leave the site, they would be forced to by Israeli soldiers. The next day armed settlers arrived again, accompanied by Israeli police who arrested three Armenians while demanding they produce evidence that the land is theirs.

An Israeli military spokesperson referred The Irish Times to the Israeli police for comment, who said: “The Israel Police is not a party to civil or contractual disputes and it is not part of its role. Upon receiving reports or complaints in suspicion of a criminal offence, they are dealt with by the police accordingly.”

The Armenian Quarter sits beside the old city’s Jewish Quarter and includes one of the main routes to the Western Wall, one of Judaism’s holiest sites.

Israeli lawyer Daniel Seidemann, who founded Terrestrial Jerusalem which tracks development that harms the status and stability of the contested city, says that “settlers are interested in creating an uninterrupted bridge between Jaffa Gate and the Jewish quarter of the city” and describes this as dovetailing with a wider strategy backed by the Israeli authorities to encircle the old city with settlements and biblically-inspired settlement projects. As examples, he cites Israeli encroachment in the Palestinian neighbourhood of Sheik Jarrah and proposals for a settler-run national park on the Mount of Olives.

Multiple properties in Jerusalem’s Muslim and Christian neighbourhoods have become embroiled in opaque transactions often involving shell companies which sometimes lie dormant for years before groups aligned with settlers take legal action to force possession through the Israeli courts.

With media attention focused on the war in Gaza and in the West Bank, Seidemann believes settlers see an opportunity to quickly take possession of the strategic Armenian site. “What is happening there is not only a threat to the community, it is a threat to the integrity of the city,” he says. “Jerusalem would not be Jerusalem without a vibrant Armenian community.”

https://www.irishtimes.com/world/middle-east/2023/11/26/disputed-land-deal-threatens-future-of-jerusalems-armenian-community/

[Yervant1]

Catholicism.org

Nov 27 023

Ethnic Cleansing of Armenian Christians in Jerusalem?

NOV 27, 2023 BROTHER ANDRÉ MARIE

A friend sent me this 90-second video this morning. The narrator cannot understand how American Christians can support Israel against Armenian Christians in Jerusalem. At one point, the gentleman says, “American Christians have zero honor.”

What the American Christians he is talking about have may not be “zero honor,” but it is something that transforms what honor they do have into something dangerous, something thirsting for an Armageddon that they will misunderstand and during which they will find themselves on the wrong side. It’s the heresy known as Christian Zionism. The mind infected with that heresy will irrationally justify all manner of atrocity by simply putting white hats on the Zionists and black hats on whoever constitutes an enemy of the Zionists — even the actual victims of unjust Zionist aggression. If the victims don’t get a black hat — in this case, Armenian Christians whose roots in Jerusalem go back over a millennium — their suffering will get a shrug, with the Christian Zionist mumbling something about it’s too bad they were in the way and they are probably on the wrong side anyway because they are too sympathetic with the Palestinians.

Below the video are several links to news stories on the same subject.

Let us not forget that Armenia is the first Christian nation, whose conversion antedates the Council of Nicaea.

• On Violence and Racism in the Armenian Quarter: A Call for Respect and Equality — Armenian Weekly


• In Jerusalem’s contested Old City, shrinking Armenian community fears displacement after land deal — AP


• ‘We won’t leave’: Armenians in Jerusalem push back against armed settlers — Al Jazeera


• Who is harassing the “long-suffering nation” in Jerusalem? – Israeli experts on Armenian provocations — Aze Media


• Israel settlers attack Armenian restaurant in Jerusalem — Middle East Monitor


• The Cracks in Israel’s Toxic Relations with Armenia — Armenian Mirror Spectator

This image was taken as part of the Elef Millim project trip to the Armenian Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem, which was held on Friday, 23rd March 2012. Photo by Lantuszka, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

https://catholicism.org/ethnic-cleansing-of-armenian-christians-in-jerusalem.html

[Yervant1]

The Times of Israel

Dec 9 2023

Land dispute in Jerusalem’s Armenian Quarter escalates as residents fear eviction

Tensions mount after Jewish developer leased 25% of Old City’s neighborhood from Armenian patriarch against community’s will; now bulldozers have appeared at the site

By GIANLUCA PACCHIANIToday, 8:52 am

Though the eyes of the world have been focused on the war in Gaza, Jerusalem has witnessed a real estate dispute over the past month that could have grave consequences for coexistence between the city’s religious groups.

A coveted plot of land inside the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City has become the focus of a legal controversy between the Armenian community and an Australian-Israeli developer who intends to build a luxury hotel complex on the property. In recent weeks, the dispute over the property has escalated.

The neighborhood is home to about 2,000 Armenian Christians, a tight-knit community whose presence dates back 1,600 years — the oldest Armenian diaspora in the world.

In April of this year, following a surprise visit by Israeli land surveyors, residents discovered that a land lease deal signed in 2021 by the head of the community, Patriarch Nourhan Manougian, had a much larger scope than initially announced.

It emerged that the 98-year lease included an area known as the Cows’ Garden, a plot of land used in ancient times to keep cattle and which now houses a seminary and cultural halls for the community, as well as the patriarch’s own garden and the homes of five Armenian families.

The deal, which entails over 11,500 square meters — about 25% of the overall surface of the Armenian Quarter — was concluded with Xana Capital, a hotel company owned by Israeli-Australian businessman Danny Rothman.

The patriarch denied knowing the exact terms of the lease, and claimed that a local priest, Baret Yeretsian, signed the contract on his behalf. The clergyman in question has in the meantime been defrocked and has reportedly sought refuge in Pasadena, near Los Angeles.

In an interview with the Associated Press in June, Yeretsian said that Rothman plans to develop a high-end resort in the Armenian Quarter, which would be managed by the One&Only hotel company based in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, which established diplomatic relations with Israel in 2020.

Yeretsian dismissed fears of an Israeli takeover of the Armenian Quarter as “propaganda” based solely on Rothman’s Jewish identity. “The intention was never to Judaize the place,” he said, claiming that Rothman has no political agenda. He insisted that the Armenian patriarch was fully engaged in the long-running negotiations and personally signed off on the contract.

In an interview with The Times of Israel, Hagop Djernazian, an activist from the Armenian Quarter, said that the Armenian community was supposed to earn a yearly $300,000 rent from the deal, “which is laughable for this plot of land, located on the highest point in the Old City on Mount Zion, the biggest open space in the Old City. You can’t find open spaces like this in other quarters,” Djernazian explained.

The area abuts the Jewish Quarter and is a short walk away from the Western Wall.

Hagop Djernazian, an activist from the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem, standing in front of an Armenian flag and a barricade built by local residents in an ongoing land dispute between the Armenian Patriarchy and an Australian-Israeli developer, November 24, 2023 (Gianluca Pacchiani/Times of Israel)

Jewish investors in Israel and abroad have long sought to buy properties in the Old City and East Jerusalem, in a bid to cement Israeli control over parts of the city claimed by Palestinians as their capital. For Jews, Jerusalem, its Old City and the Temple Mount it contains have been a centerpiece of national identity for 3,000 years and Israel sees the united city as its capital.

Scandals involving land sales to Jewish groups have previously embroiled the Greek Orthodox Church, the custodian of many Christian sites in the region. Two decades ago, the Greek Church sold two Palestinian-run hotels in the Old City to foreign companies acting as fronts for a Jewish group. The secretive deals led to the downfall of the Greek patriarch and prompted international uproar.

When the Armenian community learned that the terms of the deal diverged substantially from the preliminary information they had received, protests broke out. A first rally was organized on May 12.

Community leaders demanded that the contract be canceled, claiming that it violated the Constitution of the Patriarchate, which does not allow leasing lands for such lengths of time. The patriarch himself was apparently not aware that his own private garden was included in the lease.

The contract, however, was signed and is now legally in force, and while the community is readying to challenge its validity in court, the standoff on the ground has escalated.

On October 26, a bulldozer appeared at the large parking lot of the Cows’ Garden, Djernazian recounted, and tore down a wall separating the lot from the Armenian Seminary. It also destroyed sections of pavement, chunks of which are now piled up in a mound, with an Armenian flag planted on top.

On the same day, the Patriarchate sent a letter to Xana Capital requesting the cancellation of the land lease.

“This deal puts the integrity of the Armenian quarter in danger and therefore puts the Armenian presence and Christian presence in Jerusalem in danger, because losing this land will cut us off from the Christian quarter,” Djernazian explained.

On November 5, Rothman turned up, accompanied by his Arab Israeli business partner and a group of about 15 armed Israelis with two attack dogs seeking to “threaten and harm the community,” who had organized a protest sit-in.

“They work like the mafia, they sent a mob to confront us,” Djernazian said. The confrontation required the intervention of the police.

Danny Rothman did not respond to a request for comment.

According to the New Arab news website, among those who took part in the confrontation was an American-Israeli West Bank settler named Saadia Hershkop, a self-described “hilltop settlement activist.”

In 2005, Hershkop was deported to the US for 40 days for fear he would participate in acts of violence to disrupt the Gaza disengagement process.

He seems to still have run-ins with the law, and recently held a crowdfunding campaign to cover legal costs for what he describes as a “serious indictment issued against me in revenge for my activism.”

The confrontation prompted the Armenian community to set up a protest tent, manned day and night by residents, to guard against new incursions by outsiders. The community also set up a barricade with barbed wire to block access to the site.

On November 15, a group of people showed up and encroached upon the premises. The community claimed the intruders had been sent from Xana Capital. When the police arrived on the scene, most of the trespassers scattered. The community lamented that those who remained were not arrested, but that police detained three Armenians.

Djernazian accused police of cooperating with the company to assist it in taking possession of the land.

In response to a request for comment, the police said that “it is not a party to civil or contractual disputes… Upon receiving reports or complaints on suspicion of a criminal offense, they are dealt with by the police accordingly, as is done in cases in which mutual complaints about assault and/or threats were received.”

The next day, the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem released an urgent communique, saying that the community “is under possibly the greatest existential threat of its 16-century history,” which “fully extends to all the Christian communities of Jerusalem.”

In solidarity, the heads of the other Christian denominations in Jerusalem issued a joint statement two days later, saying that the recent escalation could “potentially endanger the Armenian presence in the area, weakening and endangering the Christian presence in the Holy Land,” and calling to handle the dispute solely through legal avenues.

Djernazian noted that the community has received the backing of other groups in the city in its effort to reassert control over its quarter, including from Jews. “Both Israelis and Palestinians have been supporting us, which is much needed because in the end, this plan will erase the Armenian presence in Jerusalem, and also the Christian presence. People will emigrate, we will lose our institutions,” he said.

“The real estate company is using the timing of the war [in Gaza] against us. They thought that no one would pay attention, neither journalists nor the international community. But it turns out that the opposite happened, and we received attention from local and international journalists and support from local diplomatic missions and the international community.

“Different institutions and officials have had their eyes on this property since 1967, but it’s next to our school, next to our church and convent,” Djernazian said. “We will not give it up.”

Agencies contributed to this report.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/land-dispute-in-jerusalems-armenian-quarter-escalates-as-residents-fear-eviction/

[Yervant1]

Dec 12 2023

Statement on Significance of the Armenian Quarter in East Jerusalem

December 12, 2023 The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention is deeply concerned by threats to the integrity of the Armenian Quarter in East Jerusalem. We call on the United States and other close allies of Israel to take it upon themselves to guarantee the Armenian community due process in this land dispute. The global Armenian community has already lost one important historical land this fall — Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), which was forcibly depopulated when Azerbaijan invaded, massacred Armenians, and terrorized almost the entire Armenian population into fleeing. The Armenian people cannot lose another.

The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention is deeply concerned by threats to the integrity of the Armenian Quarter in East Jerusalem. We call on the United States and other close allies of Israel to take it upon themselves to guarantee the Armenian community due process in this land dispute. The global Armenian community has already lost one important historical land this fall — Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), which was forcibly depopulated when Azerbaijan invaded, massacred Armenians, and terrorized almost the entire Armenian population into fleeing. The Armenian people cannot lose another.

The Armenian Quarter makes up about one-sixth of the city of Jerusalem. It is 1,600 years old, dating back to the reign of Roman Emperor Constantine. The first settlement of Armenians in Jerusalem predates Constantine even, with Armenians having settled in Jerusalem as early as the first century BCE when the Armenian Empire controlled nearby territories in Syria. Although the Armenian population in Jerusalem today is very small, the Armenian Quarter remains an important part of the Armenian Diaspora presence as
the oldest remaining living diaspora of Armenians. The Quarter houses a diocese of the Armenian Apostolic
Church.

In July 2021, the Armenian Patriarchate signed an agreement to lease a significant plot of land (called the “Cow’s Garden”) to Australian developer Danny Rubenstein for 98 years at a low annual rent of a few hundred thousand dollars per year. Rubenstein planned to build a luxury hotel on the site, necessitating the destruction of many of the existing buildings. The deal came as a shock to the local community, the greater Armenian Diaspora, and Palestinian authorities, the latter of which felt as if the deal encroached on their own sovereignty. It also raised eyebrows due to its asymmetric rewards.

In response to this opposition, the Patriarchate announced on November 1, 2023, that it would be canceling
the deal. However, Danny Rubenstein’s company, XANA, has refused the Patriarchate’s cancellation. It has brought bulldozers to the site and is beginning construction in the Cow’s Garden area.

Local Armenians have responded to the destruction of Cow’s Garden with peaceful protests in the form of public gatherings and a sit-in where construction had begun. Israeli police and civilians have met these protests with violence, using dogs and firearms to intimidate the peaceful protestors. Danny Rubenstein and George Warwar, Chairman and Director of XANA International, appear to be using force and intimidation to deter the Armenian community from attempting to protect its land.

The cultural heritage of the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem must be safeguarded from the developers and the armed settlers who are enabling them, ostensibly with the aim of creating a homogenized Jewish ethnostate in Palestinian territories. We stand with the Armenian community as they continue to resist the
development of this land through peaceful demonstrations and by refusing to leave the premises. The Armenian community has already lost one significant historical community in Artsakh/Nagorno-Karabakh this year. It must not lose another.

https://www.lemkininstitute.com/statements-new-page/statement-on-significance-of-the-armenian-quarter-in-east-jerusalem

[Yervant1]

The National, UAE

Dec 22 2023

Jerusalem's Armenian community fights to defend precious space

in the Old City

 

Residents of the dwindling Armenian Quarter are braving the winter this Christmas to stand guard against developers who want to take their property in shady circumstances

Thomas Helm

Christmas is rarely this quiet in Jerusalem’s Old City. The war in Gaza has kept visitors from abroad away. Local Christians, most of whom are Palestinian, are choosing not to celebrate publicly as Gazans continue to be killed only 50 miles away.

The south-western corner of the Old City is different. In the car park of the Armenian Quarter, 10 men play cards loudly, smoke and boil soup in a plywood structure festooned with Armenian flags.

They belong to a community that has shrunk in recent decades to about only 1,000 people.

On a cold evening in December, the atmosphere was convivial but the raincoats and protective goggles hanging by the entrance indicate a far more serious side to their presence.

“Those are in case of pepper spray,” says Hagop Djernazian, a leader of the Save the Armenian Quarter movement.

Mr Djernazian and his fellow community members are guarding a plot of land that is the subject of a contentious property dispute, involving a private developer’s plan to build a hotel on the site, which makes up 25 per cent of the entire quarter.

The land in question encompasses the community's car park and the seminary. Activists say both are vital for the community's survival.

The deal would also hand over to developers a private garden for the Patriarch and a number of homes.

Most significant of all, the transaction would mean that a vast space in the Old City – one of the flashpoints of the Israel-Palestine conflict – would no longer be in the hands of local Christians, a community whose numbers and influence have been dwindling in recent decades.

Many fear that losing this particular area puts the Armenian community one step closer to extinction.

The struggle has pitted a local community, most of them the descendants of genocide survivors, against a confusing web of property dealers, allegedly corrupt church officials who signed off on the agreement and, seemingly, Israeli settlers.

If the deal goes through, Mr Djernazian says the community's very presence in the Old City is under threat. It would be another blow to Holy Land Christians, who have been leaving in droves in recent decades.

“We’ve been sleeping here for more than a month to guard the area 24/7, somewhere between six and 10 of us, depending on the day,” Mr Djernazian says.

“I’ve only slept in my house twice during the past month and a half.”

He now sleeps on camping equipment on top of the car park’s cold tarmac, much of it recently chewed up in a recent standoff.

The tent was set up after bulldozers and guards, some of them armed, turned up to the site in late October and began knocking down walls. They came the same day the Armenian Patriarch bowed to pressure from the community and signed a letter cancelling the original property deal that would have signed over the land to developers who plan to build the luxury hotel.

Danny Rothman, a figure at the heart of the deal about whom very little is known, was also there in October. Mr Rothman declined to comment on the reason for his presence and the property deal at the time.

He was met with a large crowd of community members, many of whom sit in the tent today. They are lying back on sofas, mostly relaxing, but occasionally leaving the warmth to survey a makeshift fence of rubble and barbed wire that protects the section of the car park most under threat.

Just outside the tent, a scraggly Christmas tree is planted in a large mound of yet more rubble. At the very top is another Armenian flag.

Weeks after the confrontation, a picture emerged of Mr Rothman appearing to sit with senior figures from Ateret Cohanim, a high-profile settler organisation that is behind the takeover of a number of non-Jewish properties in the Old City.

At the time of the last confrontation, The National spoke to Daniel Seidemann, an Israeli anti-settlement activist and lawyer, who said “the whole thing stinks”.

“I’ve said to my friends in the international community, ignore the legalities for now,” he said.

Speaking about the dangers of the surge in hostility in October, Mr Seidemann added: “There are hundreds of members of a community confronting armed [israeli guards] with dogs and weapons. It’s on the brink of an explosion.

"The last thing we need is an eruption of convulsive violence in Jerusalem. Sort out the legal issues later – make this go away.”

The involvement of settlers is only one side of the story, however. The most bitter issue for those standing guard in the tent was how church authorities allowed this catastrophe to happen to the institution they are supposed to shepherd.

“The patriarchate is still not co-operating with our local and international legal teams,” Mr Djernazian says.

“This case will ultimately go to court and when that happens we need full transparency from the institution that signed the papers. That’s not happening, which is our biggest concern right now.”

For now, there is a sense among the local community that they are the ones who must shoulder the burden of protecting their heritage in the Holy Land this Christmas.

If they can keep doing so with the same level of enthusiasm, Mr Djernazian is optimistic the community will win.

"We have the will. We believe in this just struggle. I’d be even more optimistic if the patriarchate agreed to sit around the same table with out lawyers. But we know our strategy and the things we need to do as a community.”

https://www.thenationalnews.com/weekend/2023/12/22/armenian-quarter-jerusalem-old-city/

[MosJan]

[MosJan]

[Yervant1]

Dec 28 2023

Armenian Christians attacked in Jerusalem, some in serious condition

Patriarchate: "Armenian clerics in Jerusalem are fighting for their lives."
By MAAYAN JAFFE-HOFFMAN

Over 30 armed provocateurs wearing ski masks and some carrying lethal weapons attacked a group of Armenian bishops, priests, deacons, and other citizens on Thursday morning in the Old City of Jerusalem, according to the Armenian Patriarchate.

"A mass and coordinated physical attack was launched," the Patriarchate wrote in an official letter to the Police and Israeli government, which The Jerusalem Post reviewed. "Several priests, students, and indigenous Armenians are seriously injured."

"They literally attacked us," Bishop Koryoun Baghdasaryan, director of the Real Estate Department for the Patriarchate, told the Post.

The Police confirmed that it received the letter and said that arrests were made on both sides - both Armenians and Muslims who allegedly carried out the attack. No one has been officially charged, the Police said.

"There was an unfortunate incident where some Arab Muslim men and some men from the Armenian community got into a brawl in the old city of Jerusalem," Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Fleur Hassan-Nahoum told the Post. "Police came promptly to separate the parties, and arrests were made on both sides.

"The city of Jerusalem will not tolerate any criminal activity, whether religiously motivated or otherwise, and the police will prosecute those responsible," she said.

'Existential threat' to the Armenian Patriarchate

The Patriarchate claimed that the attack was in response to its submitting a lawsuit to the District Court of Jerusalem for the Cows' Garden Land deal, which was officially received by the court sometime earlier this week.

The Armenian Patriarchate filed a lawsuit to cancel an agreement made over two years ago by the Patriarchate to lease one-fourth of the Armenian Quarter to Australian Jewish developer Danny Rothman (Rubinstein) and his Christian Arab partner George Warwar (Hadad) for 98 years.

Once local and international Armenians understood what had happened, they began protesting, including holding a weekly vigil, to pressure the Patriarchate to cancel the deal.

The deal became known as the Cows' Garden Land Deal because the developer was going to build a luxury hotel on the grounds of what is currently a parking lot on a plot of land with that name. The developer also planned to take down several homes and a seminary.

About two months ago, the Patriarchate finally sent a letter stating it intended to withdraw from the contract. As a result of that letter, Baghdasaryan said, the developers came with bulldozers and started tearing down buildings and preparing the area for construction. In addition, about six weeks ago, a similar violent attack occurred.

"Instead of going through a legal process, they brought criminals and attacked our community," Baghdasaryan told the Post.

"We do not live in Somalia," he continued. "Armenians are quiet, peaceful people. We follow the rules of the land. Israel is a lawful country. The Police cannot leave these people unpunished."

Neither the Police nor Hassan-Nahoum could confirm any connection between Thursday's brawl and the developers.

In an investigative report by the New Arab on Jewish Australian developer Rothman, they said that Rothman has declined to speak to the media. He told the Associated Press, "I never get interviewed by the press," according to the New Arab.

The Jerusalem Post reached out to Rothman via LinkedIn, but he has yet to respond.

In his letter, the Patriarchate called on the Police to open an investigation.

"The Armenian Patriarchate's existential threat is now a physical reality," the letter concluded. "Armenian clerics in Jerusalem are fighting for their lives against impune provocateurs."

https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/crime-in-israel/article-779881

[Yervant1]

Dec 28 2023

Violent Assault on Armenian Christians in Jerusalem’s Old City

By: Geeta Pillai

In the heart of the historic Old City of Jerusalem, an unexpected and violent incident unfolded on Thursday afternoon. Over 30 provocateurs, their identities hidden beneath ski masks, launched a brutal assault on the Armenian community. Among the aggressors, some were seen brandishing lethal weapons.

Scene of the Assault

The location of the assault was the tranquil ‘Cows’ Garden’ nestled within the Armenian Quarter of the Old City. This peaceful enclave became the stage for a scene of violence and fear as the group of masked individuals descended upon unsuspecting Armenian clerics and citizens.

Response to the Attack

Despite the surprise and the overwhelming odds, the Armenian community retaliated bravely. Young and old, laypeople and clerics alike, fought back against their attackers. The struggle continued until the authorities arrived at the scene, bringing the conflict to a halt. In the aftermath, two Armenians were taken into police custody, while several others, including priests, students, and indigenous Armenians, were left nursing serious injuries.

Call for Action

In response to this shocking incident, the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem has issued a call to arms. The Patriarchate is urging the international community to step in, and is demanding that the Israeli government launch a thorough investigation into the attack and bring the culprits to justice.

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the volatile nature of the Old City of Jerusalem. Despite its rich history and religious significance, the city remains a hotbed of tension and conflict, with the potential for violence never far beneath the surface.

https://bnnbreaking.com/breaking-news/crime/violent-assault-on-armenian-christians-in-jerusalems-old-city/

[Yervant1]

The New Arab

Dec 29 2023

Israeli police fails to stop new mob attack on Jerusalem Armenian Quarter amid 'land grab'

Ibrahim Husseini

Jerusalem

The attack comes as The New Arab publishes a series of investigations into a murky deal to acquire land in Jerusalem that underpins violence against Armenians

Masked men numbering around 30 stormed the Armenian Quarter in occupied East Jerusalem on Thursday, assailing community members with the Israeli police late to intervene, according to eyewitnesses.

A widely shared video from the scene shows masked men throwing rocks and other objects at members of the Armenian clergy.

Police later arrived at the scene and cleared the area. It is unclear if arrests have been made.

The identity of the assailants was not immediately clear, but Armenian activists in Jerusalem blamed the attack on George Warwar. Warwar is a Jaffa man thought to be involved in a controversial and now cancelled deal to acquire a plot of land in the Armenian neighbourhood ostensibly to build a luxury hotel by Jewish investors.

The New Arab has published a series of investigations into the deal and its links with the extremist Israeli settler movement. The controversy prompted companies signed up to the project to scale back their involvement, including Safdie Architects.

Christian Armenian activists accuse Jewish settler groups of trying to assert control over the disputed piece of land that has been in the possession of the Armenian Patriarchate for centuries. These settler groups are believed to be linked to Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel's far-right national security minister.

Xana Capital, a company owned by Danny Rubenstein, also known as Danny Rothman, is claiming a large property in the Armenian Quarter after signing a questionable deal with the Armenian Patriarch Nourhan Manougian several years ago. The Armenian Patriarchate has since withdrawn from the agreement, and the matter is now in the courts.

RELATED

Jewish vigilantes target Armenian Christians in Jerusalem

Investigations

Anas Ambri

The details of the agreement between the Patriarch and Danny Rubenstein are not entirely transparent, but community members are determined to annul the deal and maintain hold of the land.

The Armenian Patriarchate issued a strong message referring to the violent episode as an "existential threat", stating that "Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Seminarians and indigenous Armenians are fighting for their very lives".

"We call upon the Israeli government and the Police to start an investigation against Danny Rothman and George Warwar for organising their criminal attacks on the Armenian Patriarchate and community, attacks which seem to have no end in sight", the statement added.

Similar attacks against the Armenian community occurred recently.

Last month, on two separate occasions, private security guards and Israeli and Jewish settlers burst into the Armenian Quarter accompanied by two bulldozers.

To find out more, watch our video explainer of the dispute over the Armenian Quarter.

https://www.newarab.com/news/mob-attacks-jerusalem-armenian-quarter-amid-land-grab

[Yervant1]

The New Arab

Dec 28 2023

Safdie Architects group suspends invovlement in controversial Armenian Quarter project in Jerusalem, following TNA investigation into Israeli settler links

Anas Ambri

Architecture firm tasked with designing hotel in Jerusalem's Old City is suspending its work on the project due to settler links revealed by TNA investigations

Safdie Architects, the firm tasked with designing a luxury hotel in the Armenian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, announced it has suspended work on the project "after becoming aware of the controversy surrounding the land lease agreement this summer". This follows The New Arab's investigative series, the Armenian Quarter Files, which revealed links between representatives of a company involved in the project and the extremist Israeli settler movement.

The controversy centers around Danny Rothman, a "mysterious" Australian Jewish investor that TNA profiled in August 2023.

In July 2021, Mr. Rothman, through his company Xana Gardens, concluded a deal with the Armenian Patriarchate for the lease of around 13% of the Armenian Quarter in Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem to construct a luxury hotel.

Information about the deal was kept hidden from the Armenian community until April 2023, when some local residents found out their homes were included in the land deal.

Indignation over the potential displacement of members of the declining Jerusalem's Armenian community led to the defrocking of Baret Yeretzian, then-director of the Department of Real Estate of the Patriarchate.

In its Armenian Quarter Files, TNA revealed links between representatives of Xana Gardens and extremist members of the Israeli settler movement.

These settlers, armed with guns and dogs, confronted the local Armenian community on November 4-5, after the Armenian Patriarchate announced it has canceled the deal.

TNA was also able to expose links between these settlers and current Israeli politicians, such as minister of national security Itamar Ben-Gvir and Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Arieh King.

In a 19 December statement published by the UK NGO Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC), Safdie Architects stated that they "were startled when we learned of the objections by members of the Armenian community, which arose after many months of working on [the project]".

Established by Moshe Safdie in Montreal in 1964, the firm is most famous for designing Marina Bay Sands, an integrated resort in Singapore and the city-state's most notorious landmark.

According to their statement, Safdie Architects were brought onto the project by One&Only Resorts, the hospitality firm allegedly tasked with managing the hotel after its construction.

Dubai-based Kerzner International, which owns the One&Only brand, has so far failed to respond to allegations of its involvement in the project, according to BHRRC.

https://www.newarab.com/investigations/group-freezes-armenian-quarter-role-after-tna-investigation

[Yervant1]

France 24

Dec 29 2023

Jerusalem's Armenians vow to keep up fight against 'settler' project

Jerusalem (AFP) – Residents of Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem's historic Armenian quarter rapidly mobilised when bulldozers rolled in to start work on a luxury hotel, a project they fear threatens the ancient but dwindling community.

The real estate deal which gives an Australian-Israeli investor roughly 25 percent of the Old City's Armenian quarter has sparked anger and concern among its residents.

"The youth arrived in large numbers and positioned themselves in front of the bulldozers," recalled resident Kegham Balian of the escalation last month.

"The settlers underestimated our community," said the Armenian merchant.

"We are waging a peaceful struggle, and we are not afraid."

Ever since the construction began, Armenians have set up camp, bringing tents, stoves, mattresses and even a TV to a weeks-long sit-in to guard the contested land.

Inside a tent, wooden planks patch up the holes left by construction equipment.

On Thursday, "over 30 armed provocateurs" attacked members of the Armenian community including clergymen, the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem said in a statement.

It accused the real estate developer, Danny Rothman, of being responsible for the "massive and coordinated physical attack" shortly after the patriarchate had taken to the court to annul the controversial land sale.

East Jerusalem and the Old City -- divided into Muslim, Christian, Jewish and Armenian quarters -- was seized by Israel in 1967 and annexed in a move not recognised by the international community.

Land rights are a key point of tension in east Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank, where Israel has built and expanded settlements, considered illegal under international law.

Only around 2,000 Armenians remain in the Old City quarter after waves of immigration primarily to the United States and Europe since the 1960s.

Like Palestinians in the rest of east Jerusalem, most Armenians do not hold Israeli citizenship but only residency.

'Without consent'

Panic first erupted among the minority community in April, after it was revealed that the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem and Father Baret Yeretzian, in charge of real estate affairs, struck a deal in 2021 with a Tel Aviv-based company.

The firm, which won a 99-year lease on the land, is Rothman's Xana Gardens Ltd, according to Israeli lawyer and Jerusalem specialist Daniel Seidemann.

"The agreement was reached by the patriarchate without the knowledge and without the consent of the residents of the Armenian quarter or their institutions," Seidemann told AFP, an assertion echoed by community members.

The contract included "11,500 square metres (2.8 acres) of land, including a parking lot, five residences, and the patriarchate's seminar hall," said Setrag Balian, co-founder of Save the ArQ, a movement by Armenian quarter residents.

Despite the Armenian Patriarchate saying it had subsequently "withdrawn from negotiations" after discovering "problems behind this transaction", many community members still feel betrayed.

Yeretzian, the priest behind the contract has been defrocked.

The latest escalation came after Nourhan Manougian, the Armenian patriarch of Jerusalem, on October 27 sent a letter to Xana Gardens formally notifying the firm of the "cancellation of the agreement".

Then, "bulldozers, armed settlers accompanied by dogs, and residents of the Jewish quarter" arrived to the area, said the activist Balian, 27.

The takeover attempt "took advantage of the chaos of October 7," he said, referring to the bloody attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel that triggered all-out war.

"They managed to demolish part of the wall surrounding the parking lot."

Rothman's lawyer, Avi Savitzki, declined to comment when contacted by AFP.

- 'We are ready'-

Campaigners say they are trying to preserve the land of the Armenian community, whose presence in Jerusalem dates as far back as 1,500 years.

Save the ArQ is also supported by Armenian diaspora communities with legal assistance and media coverage.

"Every day, families come to see us and bring us food," said Kegham Balian of the sit-in, where young and old take turns sleeping at the site.

They hope the land does not befall the same fate of some Greek Orthodox Church property in Jerusalem.

Israeli settler group Ateret Cohanim, using front companies, in 2004 acquired leasing rights on three building belonging to the church.

After years legal battles, Israel's top court eventually allowed Ateret Cohanim to take hold of the property.

This judicial setback "endangers the Christian presence and the integrity of the Christian quarter," said activist Hagop Djernazian.

To Balian, "we know the political stakes" in the divided holy city, a focal point of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"It will not be an easy battle, especially since we are not just fighting against a private company but also against settlers," he said.

But "we are ready."

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20231229-jerusalem-s-armenians-vow-to-keep-up-fight-against-settler-project

[Yervant1]

Morning Star, UK

Dec 29 2023

Ethnic cleansing an ‘existential threat’ to Jerusalem's Armenians, patriarchate warns after violent attack

THE Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem said ethnic cleansing poses an “existential threat” to the city’s ancient Armenian community, following an attack blamed on Israeli settlers.

Masked men stormed the Armenian Quarter in occupied East Jerusalem, attacking residents and throwing rocks at Orthodox clergy. Police later cleared the area, but patriarchal authorities say they are not punishing those responsible. Settler attacks on Palestinians have multiplied in East Jerusalem and the West Bank since Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7.

“Bishops, priests, deacons, seminarians and indigenous Armenians are fighting for their very lives,” a statement from the Patriarchate said.

“We call upon the Israeli government and the police to start an investigation against Danny Rothman and George Warwar for organising their criminal attacks on the Armenian Patriarchate and community.”

The named pair are accused of involvement in commercial deals of disputed validity which would acquire land in the Armenian Quarter, and residents blamed Mr Warwar for organising Thursday’s assault.

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/ethnic-cleansing-existential-threat-jerusalems-armenians-patriarchate-warns-after

[Yervant1]

Armenia - Dec 29 2023

Holy See condemns violence against the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem

Yerevan /Mediamax/. Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin expressed concern about “the ongoing provocative actions around the “Cows’ Garden” area belonging to the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem.”

“It is obvious that the provocateurs are once again trying to seize the “Cows’ Garden” area through terror, threats and force, violating the procedures defined by the law.

We strictly condemn what happened and hope that the Israeli authorities will legally respond to the criminal actions against the Patriarchate and the Armenian community and the culprits will be brought to justice and the repetition of similar cases will be excluded,” the Holy See said in a news release.

On December 28, more than three dozen armed persons entered the territory of “Cows’ Garden”, used force as a result of which clergymen of the Patriarchate and members of the local Armenian community received physical injuries of various degrees.

https://mediamax.am/en/news/society/53527/

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

France strongly condemns violence targeting Armenian community in Jerusalem’s Old City

14:01, 30 December 2023

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS. France has strongly condemned the violence against the Armenian community in Jerusalem’s Old City.

“France strongly condemns the acts of violence carried out yesterday against the Armenian community in the Old City of Jerusalem, which comes after multiple attacks in recent months by violent extremists,” the French consulate-general in Jerusalem said on X.

It added that the Israeli authorities must prevent such acts of violence.

“It is the responsibility of the Israeli authorities to prevent such acts of violence, as well as any challenge to the status quo. France reiterates its solidarity with the Armenian community of the Old City of Jerusalem and will continue to monitor the situation with the greatest attention,” the French consulate-general said.

On December 28, more than 30 armed assailants stormed into the Cow’s Garden area in the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem and violently attacked a group of Armenian clerics and laymen, as well as other representatives of the Armenian community.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1127224.html?fbclid=IwAR1IhTa-L4YRIVcn1GR6V5Q1-xjJhqjtXhkDF-z0kOK2rNxc01JTXRoT25Q

[Yervant1]

The New Arab

Jan 2 2024

Battle of survival and _expression_ in Jerusalem's Armenian Community

Mariam A.

02 January, 2024

Jerusalem's Armenian community navigate a thin line amid existential threats, hate speech, and freedom of _expression_.

In the heart of Jerusalem’s Old City, the Armenian community, celebrated for resilience and profound centuries-old cultural legacy, is facing a dire battle for survival. As regional tensions escalate, the community grapples with challenges that not only endanger their freedom of _expression_ but also imperil their distinctive dialect— unique to Jerusalem and now on the brink of disappearing—along with their rich culture and very existence.

In July 2021, the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem discreetly signed a real estate contract, ceding 25 percent of their quarter for 99 years to an Australian–Israeli settler investor. This action has thrust the Armenian community into crisis, as they now face the imminent threat of losing a significant portion of their quarter.

While the community temporarily suspended proceedings upon the discovery of this arrangement in May 2023, bulldozers, accompanied by armed Israeli settlers, have already initiated the excavation of the parking lot surrounding the Monastery of the Armenian Apostolic Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

"In recent years, various settlers have engaged in spitting at religious figures, cursing them, and even pushing them into alleyways. They target people they deem incompatible with their vision of a Jewish-only state"

The Armenian ethnolinguistic minority has been present in the Holy Land since the fourth century, with a history that includes aiding survivors of the 1915 Armenian genocide. After the 1948 war, the Armenian population in Jerusalem has dwindled to fewer than 2000 residents today, the majority of whom live within the Armenian Quarter.

The site houses the Patriarchate’s Theological Seminary, the Brotherhood of St. James, ancient churches, a museum, a library, a health clinic, and the Sts. Tarkmanchatz Armenian School was founded in 1929. Here, Armenian children not only learn their language but also engage in activities within the courtyard—a pivotal space for the community to convene, converse in their native tongue, and safeguard their cultural identity.

Global Voices interviewed an Armenian resident from Jerusalem who chose to remain anonymous for safety amid the ongoing war on Gaza and the threat faced by the Armenian quarter.

The interview delved into the political climate and surveillance in Jerusalem, shedding light on issues such as discrimination, hate speech, and the escalating restrictions on freedom of _expression_.

Co-authored by the resident and refined for clarity, the interview offers valuable insights into the challenges faced by the Armenian community as they strive to preserve their language and cultural identity in the region.

Mariam A. (MA): How are you coping with the situation in Jerusalem and Gaza?

Armenian Resident (AR): It's been very difficult. The current situation in Jerusalem, the ongoing genocide in Gaza, and the fact that we feel paralysed and unable to do anything contributes to the overwhelming sense of helplessness.

The most challenging aspect for non-Jewish Jerusalemites is that we have been forbidden from expressing any type of sympathy or concern. We are witnessing complete surveillance, a militarised city, with most [Jewish] civilians armed with rifles, and a heightened presence of police officers and soldiers patrolling the city.

There is a constant fear of being stopped at any moment, with the risk of having your phone snatched and the security forces going through its contents.

I checked the emergency state law, and it states that the IDF has the right to enter private spaces, including homes, or go through personal property based on suspicions. This legal provision legitimises such actions.

Aware of this, people are trying to monitor not only their speech but also their thoughts, fearing potential endangerment for knowing more than what is deemed acceptable about the current situation.

I would say it's a state of paranoia at this moment.

REVEALED: Armed US citizen has ties to Jerusalem’s Deputy Mayor Arieh King and the Israel Land Fund, a group whose mission is to settle Jews in occupied East Jerusalem. Link to @TNA_Investigate latest piece https://t.co/ce7IsByDgu

— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) December 12, 2023

MA: Have community members experienced incidents where they were stopped, had their phones confiscated, and been checked?

AR: Yes, I've witnessed this happening several times in different parts of the city as I walk around. They stop young men under suspicion of being Arab, conducting thorough searches, which include checking their phones.

I know of particular cases involving young students, both men and women, whose phones were snatched. If phones showed any social media or text messages expressing sympathy or concern for the ongoing situation, they were detained.

MA: Do you think the Armenian community is affected by this surveillance mentality, or do you feel they are exempt from it?

AR: Nobody is exempt. What we've been witnessing, not just during this war but even before, is a trend that emphasizes that this is an exclusive city and an exclusive country. Waves of people, youth especially, audaciously scream out chants proclaiming it as a Jewish-only state, asserting that this is the state of Israel.

The sad part is that this wave of fanaticism doesn’t acknowledge diversity; The danger of this discourse is that it fails to recognize non-Jewish individuals for who they are, focusing instead on who they are not part of. It doesn’t acknowledge Armenians, Christians, Palestinians, what kind of Muslims they are, do they have families? Do they have pets?

The trend categorises individuals as something that doesn't belong. So their identity isn't even seen as an identity. It is negated.

MA: Within this political landscape, how does the Armenian community's freedom of _expression_ fare? Do you think the community can openly express opinions and identities?

AR: It's funny that you ask that. We've had many discussions within in the Armenian community regarding this particular issue. Since the Armenian genocide of 1915, Armenians have been minorities in various parts of the world.

What's funny is that most Armenians assimilate, consciously avoiding what the state might perceive as “problematic,” by staying away from politics. They adapt quickly, embracing new languages, contributing their skill sets, and harmoniously coexisting with their host societies. Grateful for the countries that provided refuge after the genocide, they preserve their Armenian language, food, and culture. They have always been welcomed.

In Jerusalem for example, Armenians established the first printing house in 1833 and introduced photography and hand-crafted ceramics to the region.

So it's strange for us to see that even Armenians are viewed as an unwelcome minority by settlers.

In recent years, various settlers have engaged in spitting at religious figures, cursing them, and even pushing them into alleyways. They target people they deem incompatible with their vision of a Jewish-only state.

A video shows Jewish Ultra-Orthodox Community member spitting on Christian nuns at Jerusalem's Lions Gate. pic.twitter.com/tESUbgNgRG

— Local Focus - Security Alerts (@LocalFocus1) April 13, 2023

There is a lot of silence.

People don't express their true thoughts; they are too afraid to express their opinions or criticise the state. The system compels us to keep our mouths shut and avoid trouble as much as possible.

Even having this conversation or contributing to this article makes me wonder if it's worth it. It's disempowering and makes me feel cowardly. However, looking around, I realise that most people are scared. They censor themselves, both offline and online.

This exclusive mindset discriminates against Arab Christians and Armenians. In principle, it shouldn't discriminate against anyone. But the fact that it targets minorities speaks volumes about the mindset in this country at this moment.

MA: In January, settlers inscribed hate slogans on the walls of the Armenian Patriarchy in Jerusalem, advocating revenge and death to Arabs, Armenians, and Christians. Can you provide more insight into these occurrences and elaborate on how they impact the community?

AR: There have been many incidents and they have been on the rise.

The walls of the Armenian Convent in the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem have been vandalized with hate speech, the Armenian National Committee of Jerusalem informs.

“Death to Armenians, Christians, Arabs, and Gentiles,” along with calls for revenge were written on the walls of pic.twitter.com/nKVsUibDAY

— Sanadroug Hajian (@SanadrougH) July 7, 2023

It's been happening against people who look religious and places that might not be strictly Jewish.

BREAKING: Israeli extremists just attacked the Armenian Patriarchate in the Armenian Quarters of Jerusalem in an attempt to take down the flags of Armenia.

One Armenian was detained while protecting the Patriarchate. pic.twitter.com/yeoTWOcPbk

— 301 (@301arm) January 29, 2023

In the Armenian quarter, settlers have been observed spitting at Armenian establishments. If anyone tries to defend or say, “hey, what's wrong with you?” they are met with pepper spray, if not rifles, often with impunity.

An Israeli settler was captured on a CCTV camera spitting at the gate of an Armenian church in occupied East Jerusalem

This type of behavior is exactly what those invaders stand for #Settlers #IsraeliTerrorists #OccupationMustEnd #Israel pic.twitter.com/VYoqBfAvdH

— (@LDelsoll) December 4, 2023

Visitors from Armenia are surprised by our “too nice” attitude; they ask us “How do you confront this type of radical, in-your-face harassment? Why aren't you fighting back? Why aren't you doing anything about it?”

They don't realise that people can't do much because the state may seize documents, rescind building permits, remove inhabitants, confiscate properties, or detain individuals. If individuals get attacked and they try to defend themselves, it would be a justification for further attacks.

MA: In light of the current atmosphere and the numerous threats— security concerns, hate speech, and existential threats — how do you preserve your language and cultural identity?

AR: In our community courtyard, we speak our own language, keeping it very much alive. It is used in our meetings and communications. We love it and feel attached to it, as it plays a role in strengthening our sense of identity and community.

The courtyard invokes memories of childhood. Whenever the city is under threat, the Armenian community gathers in the courtyard. It has always been a safe haven.

Amid the ongoing war, Armenians from various parts of the country, like Yafa and Haifa, have either temporarily relocated or begun bringing their kids to the courtyard. It's a beautiful space for children with clubs and the school. When we seek a sense of togetherness, it's usually found there.

When my dad passed away, I experienced the power of community. Almost everyone attended the funeral, arriving in waves. It was then that I truly realised the strength of our community. We're there for each other.

I hope the monastery remains, though we're cynical these days. Amidst our uncertainty, I am certain of one thing, it is a beautiful community.

This article was originally published in Global Voices, an international, multilingual community of writers, translators, and human rights activists.

Mariam is a multi-talented project manager and creator of digital content. She has over 15 years of experience in the field and in digital areas leading community and gender programmes throughout Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.

Mariam has a Master's degree in Applied Anthropology and Youth Work from Goldsmiths College, University of London, UK. She contributes to both Rising Voices and Lingua in Arabic with the purpose of increasing Arabic content. She is particularly interested in minority languages and digital rights in the MENA region.

https://www.newarab.com/features/battle-survival-and-_expression_-jerusalems-armenians

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

U.S. doesn’t want to see Israel take any steps that would escalate tensions – Miller on situation in Armenian Quarter

14:07, 4 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 4, ARMENPRESS. The United States has announced that it doesn't encourage the Israeli government to take steps that would escalate tensions in the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller was asked at a press briefing to react to concerns by top authorities in the Armenian Quarter that the Israeli Government was using the conflict in Gaza to push out Armenian Christians from the Armenian Quarter.

“So no specific response to that. But as we have said on a number of occasions, we do not want to see the Government of Israel take any steps that would escalate tensions,” Miller said.

The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem said it was facing an “existential threat” after a violent attack last week which it attributed to an Israeli-Australian businessman’s efforts to acquire a property owned by the patriarchate – the Cows’ Garden. The patriarchate had leased the property to the businessman who seeks to build a hotel there, but then cancelled the agreement and applied to court for validation. Some two weeks after appealing to court, the patriarchate issued a statement saying the developer who sought to buy some 25 percent of the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem ignored a letter by the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem cancelling the controversial real estate deal and started demolition works, and moreover police demand that all members of the Armenian Community vacate the premises.

Armenian seminarians and clerics were attacked by a violent mob during a vigil held at the Cows’ Garden on December 28.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1127343.html?fbclid=IwAR3NfrxQU1NGnDoNQ2vPfEKicIjHk1vpPFXFduSkpDO5Cx3Cj2zROvhaZ7s

[Yervant1]

ArmenianWeekly.com

“The more they attack, the more resolute we become”

THE FIGHT TO SAVE THE ARMENIAN QUARTER OF JERUSALEM

January 3, 2024 Lillian Avedian Diaspora 1

An ongoing land dispute between the Armenians of Jerusalem and a real estate company with alleged ties to settler organizations escalated on December 28 when the Armenian community was attacked by a group of masked men.

A group of 30 people wearing ski masks entered the Cows’ Garden in the historic Armenian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem and deployed pepper spray, batons, attack dogs and stones. A dozen community members were injured, including several priests and students of the Armenian theological academy.

The Armenian community has organized over the past two months to defend the Cows’ Garden, or Goverou Bardez, from attempts by developers to seize and demolish it. The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem canceled a controversial deal in October that would lease the Cows’ Garden to a real estate company to build a luxury hotel. Since then, the company, which allegedly has ties to Israeli settler groups, has sent bulldozers and armed groups to take the land and commence construction by force. For the past two months, Armenian community members have launched a 24-hour sit-in to protect the Cows’ Garden, setting up tents and mattresses and refusing to move.

Photo Credit: Hagop Hagopian

The Armenian Quarter is home to the oldest Armenian diaspora in the world. “The Armenian Quarter, representing 1/6 of the Old City, has been inhabited by Armenians since the fourth century during the inception of Christian pilgrimages to Jerusalem, adding to its historical and cultural richness,” reads a joint statement from Bedross Der Matossian, professor of Modern Middle East History at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and author Mary Hoogasian.

“Since the 1300s, this plot of land has been acquired through blood, sweat and a lot of financial help from the entire Armenian community,” Kegham Balian, Weekly columnist, Jerusalemite Armenian writer and media coordinator for Save the ArQ, told the Weekly regarding the Cows’ Garden. “Refugees used to come here. Pilgrims used to come here, set up tents and get nourished from the farm. To have it whisked away with a simple signature, with just the stroke of a pen, is catastrophic.”

A court confirmed that the 30 men who participated in the December 28 attack were hired by Xana Capital, the real estate company involved in the deal, according to Balian. He said Xana Capital has recruited groups of either Israelis or Arabs to participate in repeated, attempted attacks on the Cows’ Garden, providing them with false information about the purpose and targets. “It’s the classic modus operandi of settler-backed organizations. They try to make it seem like a religious altercation to pit different communities against each other,” Balian said.

“It’s not a Jewish-Armenian issue. It’s not a Muslim-Armenian issue. It’s an issue with Xana Capital,” he continued.

Arriving at the Cows’ Garden following the attack, Israeli police arrested two Armenian community members, Paul Djernazian and Bedig Giragossian. About a dozen Armenians have been detained so far while participating in the ongoing sit-in, including Kegham’s brother Setrag Balian, the co-founder of Save the ArQ, and one minor, a 17-year-old. Those detained are typically held for a few hours then released. According to Balian, none of the Armenians who have been detained were engaging in violence or in a physical altercation.

Yet Djernazian and Giragossian are the first to have been arrested. They were taken to a high security prison outside of Jerusalem and placed in cells along with members of the armed group who had attacked the Cows’ Garden. Djernazian slept on a cement floor with a thin blanket and his slippers under his head, afraid they could be stolen. Djernazian and Giragossian were released by the court two days later. While the police appealed the court’s order, the Jerusalem District Court rejected their appeal.

The Armenian community celebrating the release of Paul Djernazian and Bedig “Kach” Giragossian

The land dispute revolves around a controversial deal signed between the Armenian Patriarchate and Xana Capital in 2021. The 99-year lease agreement granted the real estate company, led by Australian-Israeli investor Danny Rothman (also known in documents as Danny Kaufman or Rubenstein), about 25-percent of the Armenian Quarter. The agreement included a parking lot used by the entire community, five residential Armenian homes and the patriarchate’s seminary hall, all located in the Cows’ Garden.

“The more they attack, the more resilient and resolute we become in our goal of preserving and protecting our heritage. By intimidating us, they think we will be deflated and demoralized, but clearly they have never dealt with Armenians. Our community isn’t violent. We’re peaceful, but we’re not stupid,” Balian said.

The secretive agreement was reached without the knowledge or consultation of the Armenian community of Jerusalem and came under intense scrutiny by the community, clergy and Armenian lawyers from the United States. Pressure on the Patriarchate to cancel the deal heightened when the Palestinian Authority and Jordan withdrew their recognition of Armenian Patriarch Nourhan Manougian in May 2023, believing that the deal threatened the status quo in the Old City.

After the Patriarchate nullified the agreement on October 26, citing “false representation, undue influence and unlawful benefits,” Xana Capital resorted to sending bulldozers and armed groups to the Cows’ Garden to start construction by force. So far they have partially torn down the wall that separates the main parking lot from that of the Patriarchate. For two months, the Armenian community has staged a peaceful sit-in to protect the Cows’ Garden from further destruction.

Members of Save the ArQ burning the midnight oil

On November 5, Rothman entered the site with a group of 15 armed Israeli settlers and attack dogs. They reportedly demanded the expulsion of Armenians from the Cows’ Garden and called it their land. Alerted to their arrival, local Armenians joined the protest. After several hours of an intense stand-off, the settlers and Armenian community members were forced to disperse.

On November 12, a bulldozer arrived at the Cows’ Garden to continue demolition work. A group of Armenian protesters gathered to block access to the site with cars and fences.

A motorcade of Israeli settlers returned to the Cows’ Garden on November 15 on vehicles and motorbikes. Israeli police arrived on the scene and detained three Armenian community members participating in the peaceful protest.

In response, the Armenian Patriarchate released a statement on November 16 accusing the developers attempting to build on the Cows’ Garden of disregarding its cancellation of the lease agreement. “[They] have instead elected for provocation, aggression and other harassing, incendiary tactics including destruction of property, the hiring of heavily armed provocateurs and other instigation,” the statement reads.

“In recent days, the vast destruction and removal of asphalt on the grounds of the Armenian Quarter has been done without the presentation of permits from the municipality by neither the developer nor the police,” the statement continues.

For Balian, the crisis facing the Armenian Quarter represents another threat to historic Armenian land, following the fall of Artsakh in September 2023 and the ethnic cleansing of its Armenian population by Azerbaijan. “We saw our brothers and sisters get bombarded and butchered during the Artsakh War. It was a moral obligation on our part to defend this land, to prevent another loss of land,” Balian reflected. “We felt like we needed to do this to protect and preserve our heritage. Enough is enough.”

• Bio
• Twitter
• Latest Posts

Lillian Avedian

Lillian Avedian is the assistant editor of the Armenian Weekly. She reports on international women's rights, South Caucasus politics, and diasporic identity. Her writing has also been published in the Los Angeles Review of Books, Democracy in Exile, and Girls on Key Press. She holds master's degrees in journalism and Near Eastern studies from New York University.

 

https://armenianweekly.com/2024/01/03/the-more-they-attack-the-more-resolute-we-become/?fbclid=IwAR01PwGQe1JRqkV6Pi4l7a5V4gcDXwevFLwSLw9hWvcmATeXqU3BZLQapRM

[Yervant1]

Jan 6 2024

Founder of 'Save Armenian Quarter' is confident in victory in Jerusalem land case

Hagop Djernazian told Al-Monitor that the deal to take over property in the heart of the Armenian Quarter in the Old City is in its final throes.

Daoud Kuttab

January 6, 2024

On Dec. 28, over 30 armed men stormed into the Cow’s Garden area in the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem and attacked a group of Armenian clergy and members of the community.

The attack was seen by the patriarchate as a response to its lawsuit over the purported sale of the Cow’s Garden, a plot of land in the Armenian Quarter in the Old City, used for parking for several years now. It is the last large open space inside Jerusalem’s walled city. The Armenian Patriarchate filed a lawsuit to cancel the deal it made over two years ago to lease a fourth of the Armenian Quarter to Australian Jewish developer Danny Rothman (Rubinstein) and his Christian Arab partner George Warwar (Hadad) for 98 years.

The community has been protesting the deal that involves taking down several homes and a seminary.

Hagop Djernazian, co-founder of the Save the Armenian Quarter Movement, a group that’s spearheading the protests against the deal and raised $75,000 to cover legal fees for the latest lawsuit, expressed confidence in an interview with Al-Monitor that the community has galvanized its efforts to prevail in the case.

The Armenian community has had presence in Jerusalem for 1,600 years, with the Armenian quarter located in the southwestern corner of the Old City. Its population has dwindled in Jerusalem and is estimated to be under 1,000 people according to the Armenian National Committee of America.

Below is the interview with Djernazian, edited for brevity:

Al-Monitor: Can you brief our readers on the main issues concerning the controversial land deal?

Djernazian: The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem signed on July 7, 2021, an illegal deal leasing 11,500 out of 19,000 square meters of the historical Cow's Garden land in the Armenian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem for 98 years. The deal was signed by the Armenian Patriarch Archbishop Nourhan Manougian, Grand Sacristan Bishop Sevan Gharibian and former defrocked Fr. Baret Yeretzian, the former real estate director. The deal was signed with Rothman, who created, for the purpose of the deal, the company XANA Capital. The deal entailed building a 7-star luxury hotel [on the land], and in return the patriarchate would receive $300,000 per year as well as 5% of the hotel profits. In the event the hotel registers loss, the patriarchate would have to pay the company 5% from the $300,000 sum received annually. The size of the project includes the community parking lot, the patriarchate’s parking lot, five houses belonging to Armenian families, the patriarchate's garden and the Alex and Marie Manoogian events hall in the seminary school.

Al-Monitor: You celebrated the most recent decision by an Israeli court ruling that the possession of the land by Armenians is legal and the control of the area is with the community. Why?

Djernazian: Following attacks by [israeli] settlers and different individuals affiliated with Warwar and Rothman of the XANA Capital, the police arrested two of our community boys who were defending themselves from the attackers. The court ruled twice in favor of the community, first recognizing the possession of the land by Armenians and second rejecting the appeal of the police by releasing those arrested. For us these are very positive developments — we as Armenians can continue our struggle not only on the ground but also in court presenting the truth.

Al-Monitor: Do you still have a case in court, and what is its main issue and request?

Djernazian: There are two cases pending in the Israeli courts against the company. We are hopeful that these two cases will receive a just decision that takes into consideration the arguments presented by the community and the patriarchate against the developer and XANA. We expect more cases in the near future against the deal.

Hagop Djerzanian. Al-Monitor

Al-Monitor: Did the war in Gaza have any role in the change of mind of the patriarchate?

Djernazian: Not at all. The war in Gaza was used by the company against us, but it backfired. The patriarchate was under immense pressure by the community and others to cancel this catastrophic deal.

Al-Monitor: The patriarchate signed a deal and was paid. How will the financial issue be resolved?

Djernazian: Thanks to Armenian donors, we will be able to pay the expenses of the court and also the compensation to the company. There are many who are ready to help financially to win this case.

Al-Monitor: What will happen to the parking lot? Does the church or the municipality own it? Who will manage the parking lot if the ownership issue is resolved?

Djernazian: The patriarchate will continue to manage the parking lot as it did in the past, according to the 10-year lease with the municipality, which first recognizes the ownership of the patriarchate over the land and gives the right of operation to them.

Al-Monitor: What role do you think the Israeli police and the courts should have?

Djernazian: The Israeli police should prevent these attacks by the company. They had many opportunities to do so, but unfortunately they continue and even grow. So far, the courts are ruling in favor of the community after presenting them with the truth.

Al-Monitor: Was the Israeli municipality complicit in this case?

Djernazian: The Jerusalem Municipality has not been involved in the case of the 98-year lease as far as we know.

Armenian flags were hung in an area whose ownership is in legal dispute in the area of the

Armenian Quarter, the Old City of Jerusalem. Photo by YAHEL GAZIT/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images.

Al-Monitor: Do you think the case was more political or more commercial?

Djernazian: There is the commercial side to the case, which is building a hotel, and of course a political side to it. We know that there are groups who target church properties with fictitious companies and developers. In this case, I think we can include both aspects, commercial and political; both are threatening our presence. The hotel will change the Armenian Quarter by demolishing institutions and homes. Then, parking lots and settler groups if there are some behind this deal will take over illegally lands in the Armenian Quarter and change the status quo, the harmony, the peace and the stability between the different groups in the Old City.

Al-Monitor: Who is privately pushing for the business deal?

Djernazian: There are some indications that settler groups are behind this deal. This issue is still being investigated. Everything we present to the public is presented after being investigated by the movement and our legal teams.

Al-Monitor: The Armenian community in Jerusalem went through a long period of non-communication with the patriarch? What changed that, and what can be done so it does not happen again?

Djernazian: For years, the community and and the patriarchate suffered from the issue of lack of transparency due to their illegal steps, underestimation of the community and turning the institution into a private company of individuals. We continue to have these difficulties even during these days when we are united as a community and patriarchate against the company. The only way to regain the trust of the community is to be transparent. By giving the community the right to decide its own future, it will be able to cooperate and regain trust for the institution. Unfortunately without taking the community into consideration, signed this deal and brought us to these catastrophic days.

Al-Monitor: Do you think that momentum is on your side now?

Djernazian: Absolutely. We are on the right track. The media is with us, local missions and governments, Israeli and Palestinian civil society groups, and the community is working on different fronts — legal, media, foreign relations — all will help us to keep the momentum.

Al-Monitor: Why do you think that Danny Rothman and George Warwar used hooligans against your people?

Djernazian: Both tried all kinds of intimidation tactics against us. Not a single one helped them. Their purpose was to divide the community, make us use force against them, which we did not, and take over the lands illegally. Both of them have a long history of wrongdoing, so I’m not surprised they used force and hooligans against us.

Al-Monitor: What do you think is the motive of George Warwar, an Arab Christian citizen of Israel? Some claim it’s financial greed, or do you think he had a political interest in this case?

Djernazian: To be honest, the only thing I can say to Warwar is that he should be ashamed of threatening community members, using force and working with different groups to illegally take over lands in Jerusalem.

Al-Monitor: Did the use of violence versus your use of nonviolence turn the tide in your favor?

Djernazian: Absolutely. The Armenian community of Jerusalem is known as a peaceful one that never used force against anyone. They can use force, but we will make sure that the numbers guarding the area will grow and that our resistance against them will be strengthened, because using force will never bring you success, and if we want to win this case, we should be very wise and act very carefully.

Al-Monitor: How do you evaluate the reaction of fellow Christians and the Palestinian community in Jerusalem in general?

Djernazian: I would like to thank all those who supported us and continue to support us in these difficult days. Christians and Palestinian civil society groups support us because this case is a just one, and all Christians should be united, join forces and stand firmly against all threats to the community presence in Jerusalem.

Al-Monitor: What advice do you give to other Palestinian individual or group land owners who are fighting similar attempts to take them over?

Djernazian: As long as you believe in transparency, protecting heritage and rights, then you will succeed. Stick to the truth and believe in a just struggle. Have a united front, and use all measures, people, relations, media and influential figures to present a just case so people will support the case.

Al-Monitor: What is your next priority in defending Armenian property?

Djernazian: To make sure that our community will be represented in the patriarchate in order to avoid future deals at its expense.

Reached by Al-Monitor, XANA Capital was not immediately available for comment.

https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2024/01/founder-save-armenian-quarter-confident-victory-jerusalem-land-case

[Yervant1]

Jan 8 2024

Statement on the Attack on the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem

The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention strongly condemns the recent brutal attack on the Armenian Quarter in East Jerusalem by armed mobs associated with an Israeli-Australian businessman Danny Rubenstein. We reiterate the call from our previous statement to protect the cultural heritage of the Armenian Quarter and respect the will of its residents, who continue to resist the forcible development of their land.

The most recent incidence of violence occurred on December 28, 2023, when an armed mob of about thirty people associated with Israeli-Australian businessman Danny Rubenstein attacked the historical area called Goveroun Bartez (the “Cows’ Garden”), injuring several Armenians, including a priest and students of the Theological Seminary. According to the local activists, two Armenian residents were arrested by Israeli police while none of the attackers were apprehended. This incident, together with others, occurred after a controversial land development deal was canceled by the Armenian Patriarchate in November. The deal, originally signed by the Armenian Patriarchate in July 2021, would have granted Danny Rubenstein’s company, XANA, rights to build a luxury hotel on the property, destroying many historic buildings in the area. The deal was canceled after the Patriarchate faced pressure from the local Armenian community, the greater Armenian Diaspora, and Palestinian authorities. Since November, XANA has sought to claim the Cows’ Garden by use of force.

Prior to the attacks in the Armenian Quarter, there were other incidents in which Israeli extremists harassed Jerusalemite Armenians. For instance, on January 29, 2023, an Armenian restaurant in the Christian Quarter of East Jerusalem was attacked. Continuing harassment and attacks on Jerusalemite Armenians together with coercive and possibly illegal construction in the Cows’ Garden pose an existential threat to the oldest Armenian Diaspora community in the world. This threat is very alarming, especially after the tragic fate of the 4000 year-old Armenian community in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), where, in September, Azerbaijan forcibly displaced more than 100,000 Artsakh Armenians – the entire Artsakh population – from their ancestral home to Armenia.

In the context of the violent climate against Christians in Israel fueled by Prime Minister Netanyahu’s far-right government and the ongoing genocide against Palestinians unfolding in Gaza and the West Bank, attacks on the Armenian Quarter can be also viewed as another attempt by Israeli extremists to create a homogenized Jewish ethnostate in Palestinian territories. It is crucial for international organizations and the UN to keep an eye on the tense situation in the Armenian Quarter and protect the 1600-year-old neighborhood and its inhabitants from violence and elimination.

The Lemkin Insitute wishes to stress that such events contribute to an environment conducive to mass atrocities and genocide; recognizing and responding to these warning signs promptly is essential for preventing further escalation against Armenians. Moreover, we fully support the resistance of Jerusalemite Armenians and call on relevant authorities to ensure the safety and territorial integrity of the Armenian Quarter and the rest of East Jerusalem by all necessary means.

https://www.lemkininstitute.com/statements-new-page/statement-on-the-attack-on-the-armenian-quarter-of-jerusalem