Upon the instructions of Theophilos III, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem deposited yesterday the sum of 2.1 million Israeli shekels (more than $600,000) into the Israeli Jerusalem District Court, to cover the entire rent value of the Jaffa Gate’s Imperial Hotel, according to a statement by the Patriarchate.
This comes as part of the Patriarchate’s efforts to protect the Imperial, which is subject of the ongoing court case regarding the suspicious Jaffa Gate deal dispute with the Israeli Ateret Cohanim settlement organization, which is trying to take over the hotel and surrounding areas in the historical Jaffa Gate, one of the gates of the old city of Jerusalem.
The Patriarchate of Jerusalem considered that this deposit is a pre-emptive and preventive measure aimed at countering any allegation by the settlement organization against the protected tenants, said the statement.
The Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem affirmed that it will not spare any effort or money in protecting the properties of the Jaffa Gate, which is the historical gateway for the pilgrims of the Holy Land to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the rest of the holy sites in Jerusalem.
The Patriarchate also stressed in the statement that the protection of its properties and holy sites needs stability, steadfastness and great financial resources, which is what the Patriarchate of Jerusalem is working to achieve with the aim of preserving the authentic Christian presence in the Holy Land.
The Patriarchate also emphasized that it will continue its legal and lobbying efforts, locally and internationally, to protect its properties and holy shrines.
M.K.
