Leasing of the 'Cows' Garden' Sparks Major Outcry: According to Armenians in the Diaspora, Armenia and the Armenian Church Have Adopted a Passive Stance

The controversy surrounding the Patriarchate in Jerusalem shows no signs of abating. Patriarch Nourhan does not want to back down from his decision to lease the 'Cows' Garden' to a Jewish businessman for 99 years, nor does Father Paretdzian.

In an interview with 'First News', community representatives stated that it is now the time for the authorities of Palestine, Jordan, and Armenia to take more practical steps to suspend this agreement as soon as possible. 'Patriarch Nourhan should resign from the patriarchy immediately, and Father Paretdzian should be dismissed, as they pose a danger to the Armenian Apostolic Church and its communities. By remaining in office, Patriarch Nourhan jeopardizes the Armenian Patriarchate. The patriarch refuses to show the signed contract, which, according to them, is a good one. They are waiting for the public to see the contract; neither the monks nor the public have seen it. Echmiadzin has never responded; once the Supreme Spiritual Council made a brief comment, but since then, there has been no further comment, and the Armenian government continues to remain silent,' said the interlocutor.

He noted that the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also silent, even though the Palestinian authorities have alerted them to the issue, but there was only a weak statement from Echmiadzin that did not benefit anyone. 'The Palestinian authorities came to Yerevan, discussions took place, but the situation did not change, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed no concerns. Now Armenians in the diaspora are waiting for a response from the RA authorities and Echmiadzin to find a solution to annul this illegitimate transaction.'

Regarding the issue, the monks of the patriarchate have split into two groups, with one supporting the patriarch and the other opposing him. It is noted that if this continues and the patriarch does not engage with the public, they will demand his resignation. Importantly, the agreement to lease the land for 99 years is illegal in that no one has the right to lease Armenian properties for such an extended time; according to the patriarchate's regulations, the maximum lease term is 49 years.

Armenians in the diaspora are concerned that Armenia and the Armenian Church have adopted a passive stance. 'The Catholicos, as the church leader, should express his concerns and request that the contract be presented to the public by Patriarch Nourhan and Father Paretdzian. The Catholicos can also reach out to the public and declare that our rights in Jerusalem are under threat, and the Armenian people must stand by Jerusalem. He could also come to Jerusalem and meet with Patriarch Nourhan and the community. Armenia must work quickly with the Palestinian authorities to find a solution at the governmental level. The Catholicos can also send an investigative commission here. For instance, during the time of Catholicos Vazgen, a commission came here during the term of Patriarch Yeghishe Terteryan to check the status of all properties. Now Echmiadzin can send a 5-6 member investigative commission for the same purpose. In this case, Nourhan and Paretdzian cannot refuse and are obliged to present all their transactions. This needs to be done now while it is not too late. That commission will investigate not only this illegal transaction but also all the agreements signed in recent years and what properties remain,' the interlocutor stated.

It should be reminded that on November 11, 2021, the Supreme Spiritual Council, continuing its work, specifically addressed the issue of leasing the 'Cows' Garden' property by the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which has received a wide response across various public platforms.