AMMAN — The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates denounced Friday continued attacks by Jewish settlers on the Greek
Orthodox Patriarchate’s properties in the holy city of Jerusalem, according to
the Jordan News Agency, Petra.
اضافة اعلان
The ministry warned
of repercussions following the Israeli Supreme Court’s ruling on church
property, stressing its denial of the Israeli courts authority in the occupied
Palestinian territories and in East Jerusalem.
Ministry
spokesperson
Haitham Abu Alfoul affirmed Jordan’s absolute rejection of all
measures aimed at changing the identity of occupied East Jerusalem, including
the Old City. He also affirmed the Kingdom’s rejection of changing the legal
and historical status quo in Jerusalem, including Islamic and Christian
properties and endowments, voicing Amman’s unwavering stance that supports the
Jerusalemites and the Greek Orthodox Church against such attacks.
He said that
Israel bears full responsibility for continued attacks and violations by
settlers, stressing that Jordan, based on the Hashemite Custodianship over the
Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, will take every possible measure
to safeguard the holy sites and maintain the legal and historical status quo in
Jerusalem in order to make it a key for peace and a symbol for tolerance and
harmony.
Meanwhile, EU
missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah voiced concern over an Israeli group’s
takeover of Greek Orthodox properties in occupied East
Jerusalem’s Old City,
Petra reported.
“Attempts by
settlers to take over Christian property in the Old City of Jerusalem must be
halted as they jeopardize the heritage and traditions of the Christian
community,” the EU’s representative office in the Palestinian territories said
in a statement.
Earlier, the
Israeli Supreme Court rejected an appeal by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate
against the takeover of Christian properties by settler organization Ateret
Cohanim.
President of
Jordan Evangelical Council Rihani David told
Jordan News that “the
Christian denominations in Jordan all stand denouncing the tragic violations
that are taking place in Jerusalem against Christian properties.”
He added that
“we all stand behind the Hashemite leadership that rejects these attacks, and
we value the Royal and Hashemite tutelage efforts in defending Christian holy
sites.”
“Jordan’s
position is courageous and clear, and it must be emulated, especially since
these attacks do not affect Christians in Jerusalem only, but also the
Christians of the whole world,” he added.
In a related
development, the Lower House’s Foreign Affairs Committee decried Friday the
continuous attacks by settler groups on the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate’s
properties in Jerusalem.
It said the committee
voiced its “absolute” rejection of all measures aimed at changing occupied
East Jerusalem’s identity and character, including the Old City, and altering
Jerusalem’s historical and legal status quo and its sanctities, including
Islamic and Christian properties and endowments.
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