Greece ‘concerned’ over Israeli operation on Orthodox Patriarchate land in East Jerusalem

Greece’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday issued a statement expressing its “deep concern” over recent developments in the predominantly Palestinian neighbourhood of Silwan in East Jerusalem after Israeli forces started bulldozing a 5,000 square meter plot of land owned by the Greek Orthodox Church.

“We reiterate, in the strongest terms, our continued support for the protection of the property rights and privileges of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem,” the ministry said.

Just last month, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem condemned an Israeli radical group's storming of the same plot of land in Wadi Hilweh.

“The Patriarchate affirms that this piece of land, known as ‘the red land,’ is five dunums in size (around 1.2 acres) and has been leased to the Sumrin family by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem since the beginning of the last century. The Sumrin family is still cultivating it to this day, and this intrusion is a clear encroachment on the Patriarchate’s properties in Jerusalem,” it said in a December 28, 2022, statement.