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.