Prince Ghazi, PA panel discuss ways to defend Christian rights in Jerusalem

AMMAN — HRH Prince Ghazi, the King’s special adviser for religious and cultural affairs and the personal envoy of His Majesty King Abdullah, on Wednesday met with head of the Palestinian presidential committee for Christian affairs Hanna Amireh and panel members.

Amireh and the delegates highlighted the importance of the Hashemite custodianship on Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, praising the key and pivotal role of Jordan in protecting the city and its holy sites, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

They stressed that the Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem has not spared any effort in defending the Christian rights in the Jaffa Gate case, and is still exerting all efforts to ensure its rights of ownership, commending the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Patriarch Theophilos III's endeavours in preserving these rights. 

In August, Israel’s Jerusalem District Court upheld a set of real estate deals between the Greek Orthodox Church and the Israeli organisation Ateret Cohanim for two hotels near the Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem’s Old City, ruling that there was no evidence of the deals resulting from fraud or bribery. The church asserts that the deal, conducted in 2004, was conducted illegally and has since led a campaign to save the church’s rights, led by Patriarch Theophilos III. 

They also highlighted the importance of activating the patriarchate’s mixed council and holding elections before Easter.