THE Armenian Christian community of Jerusalem is under the “greatest existential threat of its 16-century history”, its Patriarch has said, owing to a dispute over a valuable piece of land inside the Old City.

The Armenian Patriarchate is in dispute over a lease with an Australian-Israeli land developer who plans to build a luxury hotel on the land, the Cows’ Garden, which lies along the main path from the Jaffa Gate to the Western Wall and the Jewish Quarter.

About 2000 Armenian Christians live in the district: the oldest Armenian diaspora in the world. Cows’ Garden is a plot used in ancient times for cattle; now, it is the site of a seminary, the Armenian Patriarch’s garden, and the homes of five Armenian families. It makes up 25 per cent of the Armenian district.

The Armenian Patriarch Nourhan Manougian of Jerusalem signed a 99-year lease in 2021 with the developer Xana Gardens. The deal did not become public for two years, but caused outrage in the community when it came to light last summer. Jordan and the Palestinian Authority withdrew their recognition of the Patriarch over concerns about the deal.

Patriarch Manougian, however, says that he was not aware of the terms of the lease, and blamed a priest, Fr Baret Yeretzian, who, the Patriarch alleges, signed it on his behalf. Fr Yeretsian has fled to the United States. The deal was reportedly for a lump sum of $2 million, and a yearly rent of $300,000, which Armenians have said is far below its real worth, and much less than previous offers received for the land.

Patriarch Manougian wrote to the developer, Danny Rothman, who is also known by the name Rubenstein, to cancel the lease in October. The Patriarch said that it had not been properly approved by the Synod of the Brotherhood of St James. Mr Rothman’s company is based in Dubai, but is understood to be involved in tourism in Israel. He has turned down all requests to speak to the media.

The Patriarch has, at times, joined protesters who formed a 24-hour barricade to protect the Cows’ Garden in the autumn. A large tent has been put up to house protesters, and it was in the tent that many celebrated Christmas Day on 19 January, the traditional holiday date for Armenian Christians in Jerusalem.

Jewish settlers and representatives of Xana Gardens, including, at one point, Mr Rothman, have turned up with bulldozers to try to force through the barricade, but the community refused to move, despite alleged intimidation.

Afterwards, the Armenian Patriarchate put out an urgent communiqué, which said: “The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem is under possibly the greatest existential threat of its 16-century history. This existential territorial threat fully extends to all the Christian communities of Jerusalem.

“The Armenian Patriarchate has recently cancelled a contract tainted with false representation, undue influence, and unlawful benefits.”

It said that the developer had not offered a “lawful response to the cancellation”, and accused the police of collusion. “In recent days, the vast destruction and removal of asphalt on the grounds of the Armenian Quarter has been done without the presentation of permits from the municipality, neither the developer, nor the police. Despite this fact, the police have chosen in the last few days to demand that all members of the Armenian Community vacate the premises.”

The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem responded to the communiqué with an expression of “grave concern” over the events in the Armenian quarter.

“The illegal actions taken by the alleged developer against the Armenian Patriarchate and community are not conducive for the social order that the peaceful and law-abiding Armenian community, which is a member of our Christian family in the Holy Land, longs for.

“The provocations that are being used by the alleged developers to deploy incendiary tactics threaten to erase the Armenian presence in the area, weakening and endangering the Christian presence in the Holy Land.

“As the Heads of the Churches, we express our solidarity with the Armenian Patriarchate and community in their decision to take the proper legal procedures in their cancellation of this transaction, and urgently appeal to all relevant governmental and non-governmental bodies able to assist in this matter to help us restore the former peace and harmony enjoyed by all those who have used this land in the Armenian quarter.”

No comment from the developer was available.