CWN - An Orthodox prelate in Jerusalem has blasted an Israeli court decision allowing Jewish settlers to purchase properties near the basilica of the Holy Sepulchre.
Archbishop Atallah Hanna said that the properties, which surround monasteries in the Old City of Jerusalem, “were built by bishops, priests, and monks,” and form “part of the heritage of Jerusalem and its cultural, spiritual, and national identity.” He charged that the sellers “do not represent our Arab Church,” and said that they should not be identified as Orthodox.
The archbishop said that the sale of the properties, historically owned by Orthodox believers, played into a scheme to eliminate the Christian presence in Jerusalem.
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