Violent confrontations erupt between Armenians and Israeli settlers in the ancient district of Jerusalem, Hagai Street being the disputed land area.
In the heart of Jerusalem, a centuries-old city, a battle of preservation is being fought. Setrag Balian, a fourth-generation Jerusalemite-Armenian ceramicist, has pitched his tent in the Armenian Quarter for over half a year, standing steadfast against a controversial development project that threatens the quarter's character. The cause of this standoff? A questionable lease deal that would pave the way for a luxury hotel in a priceless patch of the Old City known as Cows' Garden.
This contention sees Save the ArQ, a group dedicated to safeguarding the Armenian Quarter, going head to head with Israeli developers, who have links with Ateret Cohanim - an organization known for its work in restoring Jewish life in Jerusalem since the 1980s. Ateret Cohoman has been embroiled in numerous property disputes, including a nearly two-decade-long legal battle with the Greek Orthodox Church over control of properties in the Old City. Yet, they deny any connection to the Armenian Quarter dispute.
The lease deal at the heart of the matter promises Israeli developers the right to build the hotel in Cows' Garden for an annual payment of a remarkably low $300,000 to the Armenian Patriarchate, the property's custodians. This arrangement has sparked outrage among local Armenians, leading to a lawsuit aiming to block it. Despite this, the benefits of the deal haven't deterred its proponents, resulting in a persistent standoff.
Balian emphasizes the historical significance of Cows' Garden, with Armenians inhabiting Jerusalem since the 4th century and the Armenian Patriarchate since the 7th. The plot holds immense cultural value to the Armenian community.
The deal's inception shrouded in secrecy, signed in 2021, has become a contentious issue. The man behind the negotiations, Khachig (Baret) Yeretsian, who was the head of the Patriarchate's real estate department, was defrocked and subsequently fled Jerusalem. Suspicions of deceit and manipulation surrounding the secret negotiation have arisen, particularly due to Archbishop Nourhan Manougian's allegations against Yeretsian.
Meanwhile, Palestinian and Jordanian authorities have suspended their recognition of Archbishop Manougian as the leader of the Armenian Church in Jerusalem. Yeretsian, in interviews, has maintained that he is a scapegoat, insisting that others within the church hierarchy were privy to the arrangement.
In a bid to prove his innocence, Yeretsian shared a letter on social media seemingly signed by Fr. Samuel Aghoian, a high-ranking official within the Patriarchate, outlining the support for the deal by the Patriarchate's entire hierarchy. However, Aghoian has declined to confirm the letter's authenticity.
Save the ArQ and the Armenian community have faced hostile incidents while defending Cows' Garden. These have included attacks and intimidation by Jewish settlers, with police rumored to have abetted these efforts. Tensions have escalated to the extent that the situation can be considered a land grab, with Armenians fearing the deal's realization will mark the effective end of their presence in Jerusalem.
The details behind Xana Gardens Ltd., the Israeli company behind the development project, remain opaque. However, their association with certain Jewish settler groups, along with links to key figures in the dispute, raises concerns. The company was established in Israel on July 8, 2021, one day after the signing of the real estate deal with the Armenian Patriarchate.
As the legal battle rages on, Armenian volunteers protect Cows' Garden, taking turns to keep watch and resist settler infiltration. The vigilante spirit and unity among Armenians serve as a unifying force, driving them to stand their ground in this existential battle.
The dispute underscores broader tensions in Jerusalem regarding land rights and religious freedoms. Daniel Seidemann, a Jerusalem-based attorney offering counsel to the Armenian community, highlights the unprecedented intimidation faced by the entire community that, he says, extends beyond any historical precedents in the region. The preservation of the Armenian Quarter and the Christian presence in Jerusalem is at stake.
- The controversial dispute over the Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem's Old City, centering around the Cows' Garden plot, has caught the attention of news outlets under the category of general-news, as it involves politics, education-and-self-development (through the Save the ArQ group), war-and-conflicts (with Jewish settlers), and crime-and-justice (with allegations of deceit and manipulation), and has significant implications for real estate development.
- The financial terms of the lease deal under scrutiny have sparked outrage among local Armenians, as the Israeli developers are promised the right to build a luxury hotel for an annual payment of $300,000 to the Armenian Patriarchate, a sum that is strikingly low given the historical and cultural significance of the site.
- Sports enthusiasts might find an interesting parallel in the unyielding spirit of Setrag Balian and the Armenian community, as they wage their own "battle of preservation" against formidable opponents in a high-stakes standoff reminiscent of competitive events.
- The collision of real estate, politics, and religious affairs continues to dominate news headlines, as the Armenian community braces for the potential impact on their presence in Jerusalem. Meanwhile, sports metaphors may also prove useful in illustrating the resilience displayed by volunteers guarding Cows' Garden, who embody a spirited vigilance in a quest to protect their cultural heritage.
