What happened April 3 was a sudden escalation of the conflict due to direct intervention by the police, according to a statement by the ArQ. “Israeli settlers representing Xana Gardens were escorted by the Israeli Police into the Cows’ Garden. … This action blatantly disregards the ongoing legal processes and undermines the established status quo,” the statement said.
After the raid, in which no one was hurt, the Armenian Patriarchate and the Armenian community strongly condemned the police, accusing them of “flagrant violation of legal norms,” “aggressive interference,” and “trampling on the rights of the Armenian community.” Such actions, continues the statement from ArQ, “mark a severe overstep by Israeli law enforcement authorities and an alarming infringement on the property and communal rights of the Armenians.”
The Armenian Patriarchate asked for “answers from the Israeli police and the Israeli government for their participation in the event. Today’s provocations are an attempt to set a precedent against the Armenian Quarter and its lawful lands.”
Since April 2023, several legal actions have been taken both by the Armenian Patriarchate and the ArQ. In particular, two lawsuits were filed before the Jerusalem District Court by the Armenian Patriarchate and by the ArQ to challenge the validity of the agreement.
At a press conference on the evening of the events, Setrag Balian and Hagop Djernazian, the founders of the ArQ, shared some previously unknown details about the two legal proceedings.
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