Tatoyan: int l team of lawyers continues to protect interests of Jerusalem`s Armenian Quarter
ArmInfo. Lawyers representing the Armenian community of Jerusalem strongly condemn the behavior of the Israeli police in helping Israeli settlers illegally and forcibly enter the 'Cow's Garden' in the Armenian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem in an attempt to illegally expel the Armenians and try to change the status quo. Former Armenian Ombudsman, director of the Tatoyan Foundation Arman Tatoyan wrote on his Facebook page.
"The international team of lawyers continues to protect the interests of the Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem and the Armenian community with all legal means. We consider what happened to be a gross violation of the rights and interests of the Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem and the Armenian community, which has ontological significance," the human rights activist wrote, publishing the attached video. Earlier today, it was reported that Israeli police and settlers are again trying to seize the territory of the 'Cow's Garden' in Jerusalem's Armenian Quarter. The quarter's defenders reported this on their page on X (formerly Twitter).
"This is another illegal attempt to seize Armenian property," says the message, which is accompanied by a video of a clash between territory defenders and city law enforcement agencies. The source recalls that the Armenian community of Jerusalem has been protecting its property 24/7 since November 5, 2023. In the last 150 days alone, its representatives have faced a barrage of unpunished attacks. " The Save the ArQ Movement calls upon all international bodies to exert pressure on the Israeli government to resolve this catastrophe which has endangered the 1700-year-old presence of Armenians in the Holy City of Jerusalem," the message emphasizes.
In July 2021, the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem signed an agreement with an Israeli company, giving it the right to build a luxury hotel on the 'Cow's Garden' Quarter, with the right to demolish several historical buildings. The Patriarchate canceled the deal after protests from the Armenian community, as well as the authorities of the Palestinian Authority. After that, attacks began against the Armenian community, the last attack was on December 28, 2023, when about 30 armed men attacked the Quarter, injuring several Armenian activists on duty there, including a priest and seminary students.