The heads of missions of the European Union countries in Jerusalem and Ramallah expressed today, Friday, their concern over the Israeli Supreme Court’s decision to confirm the seizure by an Israeli organization of property belonging to the Orthodox Church in the Old City of occupied Jerusalem, after the Israeli Supreme Court rejected, on Wednesday, the petition of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate to invalidate the seizure of an organization Israeli on 3 of the Patriarchate's property.

And the heads of missions of the European Union countries in Jerusalem and Ramallah, and the European Union representative in the Palestinian territories, warned - in a joint statement - "that the heritage and traditions of the Christian community in Jerusalem are at risk."

European diplomats said that the settlement organization Ateret Cohanim’s takeover of Greek Orthodox property in Bab Al-Khalil “has left long-protected Palestinian tenants at risk of eviction.” The joint statement added that “the court ruling also increased pressure on the Christian presence in Jerusalem, which is accompanied by a threat settlers of Christian communities and their possessions.

The European missions said that "the settlers' attempts to seize Christian property pose a threat to the peaceful coexistence of the three monotheistic religions in Jerusalem, as well as to the established religious balance," and called on the missions to uphold the status quo, including Christian sites.

refute the allegations

For 17 years, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate refuted the allegations of "Ateret Cohanim" of buying church property from the former Patriarch Irenios III, who was ousted from his position in 2005 against the background of this file.

The case dates back to 2004 when the settler organization - which aims to Judaize occupied East Jerusalem, especially the Old City - obtained long-term protected rental rights for 3 properties (the Imperial and Petra hotels and the Moadhamiya building) from the properties of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate located in the Muslim Quarter, which lives Only the Palestinians.

Jerusalemites make up about 39% of the population of occupied Jerusalem

More data about Jerusalem, its people and its sanctities in this paper issued by the International Al-Quds Foundation↩️ https://t.co/vbFoZGUm3w pic.twitter.com/sSTDYOAQuf

— Al-Quds International Foundation (@Qii_Media) June 10, 2022

Last Wednesday, the highest judicial authority in Israel, in its final decision, rejected the request of the Orthodox Patriarchate, which submitted new documents to the court, to challenge the sale of the buildings of the “Ateret Cohanim” organization, saying that the acquisition took place illegally and without its consent.

Commenting on the Israeli Supreme Court’s decision, the Patriarchate said in a statement yesterday, Thursday, that the court’s decision “is unfair and is not based on any legal or logical basis, because a radical organization and its supporters have followed dishonest and illegal methods to obtain Christian property in one of the most important sites of Arab Muslims and Christians in Palestine.” Jerusalem".

Sad Day

"It is a very sad day, especially when we talk about a group of extremists who want to take the properties of churches, they want to change the character of the old city by invading Christian areas," Patriarchate lawyer Asaad Mazawi told AFP.

Mazawi added that settlers "use their power and influence over the decision-makers in the State of Israel, and unfortunately they succeed in doing so."

By acquiring these properties, Ateret Cohanim becomes the owner of most of the buildings located at the entrance to Bab Al-Khalil (one of the main gates of the Old City of occupied Jerusalem), and all the processions of Christian Patriarchs in their religious ceremonies depart from Bab Al-Khalil.

The Jewish settlement associations are intensively active in East Jerusalem, and they either resort to the Absentee Property Law or brokers and legal and illegal methods and do not hide their goals.

She has repeatedly declared that she wants to "make Jerusalem a Jewish city with an Arab minority."

About 320,000 Palestinians seek to maintain their presence in occupied East Jerusalem, which was occupied by Israel in 1967.