Orthodox Church Files New Suit in Jerusalem Property Battle
Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2019 11:57 am
FILE - People walk past the Palestinian-run Imperial Hotel that is part of a legal battle, in Jerusalem's Old City, June 13, 2019.
JERUSALEM - The Greek Orthodox Church says it has filed a new lawsuit against a Jewish settler group in a bid to overturn an Israeli Supreme Court decision upholding the sale of three properties in predominantly Palestinian parts of Jerusalem's Old City.
The Patriarchate claimed in a statement Monday that it had “clear proof” of corruption in the long-disputed 2004 sale of Old City properties, including two Palestinian-run hotels.
In June, the court ruled in favor of the Israeli organization, which seeks to increase the Jewish presence in Palestinian areas of the contested holy city.
Most Orthodox Christians in Jerusalem are Palestinian, and the sale of the properties to Israelis sparked outrage.
Israel captured east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war, and Palestinians seek it as capital of a future state.