 |
| Russia Protests Israel Allows Jewish Settlers to Buy Greek Orthodox Church Property |
International Military - Russia said it was "deeply concerned" after Israel's top court ruled that the Jewish settler group Ateret Cohanim legally bought property in east Jerusalem from the Greek Orthodox Church. The Ateret Cohanim organization seeks to "Judaize" Israel's annexed east Jerusalem. One of the ways they do this is to buy property owned by Muslims or Christians.
Most recently, Ateret Cohanim purchased three buildings from the Greek Orthodox Church in a controversial deal made in secret in 2004. The Church filed a lawsuit against Ateret Cohanim. According to the Church, the property was obtained by Ateret Cohanim illegally and without the Church's permission.
Read Also: The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Here's a List of 9 Countries That Recognize Israel as a State
"We are very concerned about the situation regarding the Christian presence in Jerusalem," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement, a week after Israel's Supreme Court rejected the church's appeal.
Such a decision could predictably undermine interfaith peace and raise legitimate concerns about the position of the Christian community in the Holy Land, Zakharova said. Tensions between Russia and Israel have been rising since the start of Moscow's military intervention in Ukraine, with Moscow accusing Israel of supporting the "neo-Nazi regime" in Kiev.
In April, Russia asked Israel to hand over ownership of the contested Alexander Nevsky Church in Jerusalem after the transfer, which was approved by Israel's previous government, was suspended. The Greek Orthodox Church is the largest and richest church in Jerusalem with extensive land holdings there dating back centuries.
Read Also: Regarding the attack on Damascus International Airport, Russia Asks For Clarification From Israel
The Greek Orthodox Church has faced repeated allegations of corruption and facilitating the expansion of Israeli settlements on many of its properties. Israel captured east Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it, in a move that is not recognized by most of the international community.