Deutsche Presse-Agentur
March 18, 2005, Friday
10:21:12 Central European Time

Jewish investors secretly buy street in East Jerusalem – report

Jerusalem

Jewish investors from abroad have bought almost all the buildings on
a street and popular square inhabited by Palestinians in East
Jerusalem, the Israeli daily Ma’ariv reported Friday.

The transaction was done secretly, without the knowledge of the
tenants.

Most of the buildings on the street, which lies in the Old City of
Jerusalem between the Christian and Armenian Quarters, were the
property of the Greek Orthodox Church.

The Church sold them because it was in financial difficulties,
Ma’ariv said.

The buildings are along the street leading from the Old City’s Jaffa
gate to Omar Ibn al-Khattab Square and on the square itself, which is
an important Palestinian social centre in East Jerusalem.

Among others, it contains the Imperial Hotel, where senior
Palestinian officials, including al-Quds University chairman and PLO
Jerusalem representative Sari Nusseibeh, hold meetings.

Ma’ariv quoted a Greek Orthodox Church official who spoke on
condition of anonymity as expressing fears the multimillion dollar
deal alienate the Palestinian Authority.

Former Patriarchate spokesman Archmandrite Attallah Hanna said he saw
the report, which he said “we cannot deny or confirm”.

“We are against these steps,” he told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.
“We are demanding a neutral investigative committee – Jordanian,
Palestinian and Greek – to investigate these matters”.

“The Patriarch himself (Eirinaios I) is the one who should respond to
this,” he said, adding: “We are against giving up Church property”.
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From: Baghdasarian