TAKEOVER BID By David Parsons
THE TUMULT still rocking the Greek Orthodox Church, triggered by an alleged sale of land in Jerusalem to Jewish investors, has re-energized a decades-old campaign by local Arab parishioners with pro-Palestinian sympathies to seize control over the Greek Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The outcome of this struggle could have huge ramifications for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, especially due to the church's extensive property holdings throughout the Holy Land.
The Israeli daily Ma'ariv first broke the story before Easter that the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Irineos I, was suspected of selling several church properties in the Old City to Jewish investment group! s, including the landmark Imperial and Petra hotels inside Jaffa Gate. The Patriarch quickly denied the allegations, blamed a Greek financial advisor, Nicholas Papadimas, for abusing his authority under a limited power of attorney and insisted the transactions lacked necessary approvals from the wider Orthodox council, the Holy Synod.
Though the purported land deals remain shrouded in mystery, Papadimas has fled the scene, leaving Irineos to fight for his job against fuming Arab Orthodox faithful, many of whom have tried for years to install one of their own in what is the most senior clerical position among Jerusalem's traditional churches.
The Greek Orthodox hierarchy, mainly Greek nationals, are the last of the major historic churches in Jerusalem yet to succumb to the! PLO's 'indigenization' process. For several decades now, the Palestine Liberation Organization has covertly pressed local parishes to promote native Arab clergymen sympathetic to Palestinian nationalism to positions of leadership within the traditional churches in Jerusalem, which are coveted for their large real estate portfolios and influence with Western Christians.
Under this constant strain, most of the Patriarchates or Bishoprics of Jerusalem are now filled by Arab clerics loyal to the Palestinian cause. Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah heads the local Roman Catholics, the Anglican Bishop of Jerusalem is Riah Abu El-Assal, the Lutheran Bishop is Munib Younan, and the Greek Catholic (Melkite) Archbishop is Lufti Laham. Each has established to varying degrees their pro-Palestinian credentials. Bishop Riah, for example, is still providing sanctuary to Israeli nuclear turncoat Mordechai Vanunu, while Bishop Younan has called for the excommunication of adherents to Chris! tian Zionism, branding it "not only a sick theology but it is a heresy, right along with Aryanism and Nestorianism."
Going largely unreported are the current efforts of Bishops Riah and Younan to gain leverage over autonomous Anglican and Lutheran church properties and institutions in west Jerusalem and elsewhere in Israel.
YET THE great prize remains the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Since the Greek Orthodox are successors to the ancient Byzantine church, this office inherited in the fifth century not only senior rank among Christian clergy in Jerusalem, but also title to a vast array of Christian holy sites and land estates in Jerusalem and throughout the region. In Israel's capital alone, this includes the hill where the Knesset stands, prime tracts in the upscale Rehavia neighborhood that house the official residences of Israel's president and prime minister, and sizeable chunks of the Old City. Many of these properties are held by the State of Israel under long-term leases that are up for renewal soon.
Thus! the death of Greek Patriarch Diodorus I set off a heated succession contest between 16 candidates in early 2001 that took three years to resolve. Irineos emerged the victor, but not before charging a rival candidate, Metropolitan Timothy, with hiring someone to kill him.
Following a centuries-old arrangement, the local sovereigns - in this case Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority - all needed to endorse his appointment. When Israeli officials hesitated out of concern for his rumored pro-Palestinian leanings, Jordan and the PA rushed impulsively to confirm Irineos and condemn Israel for 'politicizing' the process. Both are now regretting their decision.
THE PRESENT land scandal, though yet to be substantiated, has given fresh impetus to the campaign to 'Palestinianize' the Greek Patriarchate. Weeks of protests for the ouster of Irineos and replacement with a local Arab cleric have finally persuaded Jordan and the PA to support his dismissal. Israeli officials have taken a hands-off approach for now, but the opposition to Irineos has gained serious traction, prompting Jordan to issue him a new passport as "former Greek Patriarch of Jerusalem".
A key ringleader of this opposition is a local Orthodox priest with unbridled allegiance to Palestine and avid aspirations to be the first Arab since 1523 to head the Greek Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Archimandrite Theodosius 'Atallah Hanna stood as a candidate in the recent election won by Irineos and has been a thorn in his side ever since.
Though only a clerk in the Arabic department of the Patriarchate's secretariat, Father Hanna has routinely presented himself to the media as official spokesman for the Greek Patriarch of Jerusalem, and issued numerous statements vilifying Israel and praising the armed intifada, including suicide operations. Among his pronouncements:
"We encourage our youth to participate in the resistance, to carry out martyrdom attacks, and to participate in removing the occupation. There is a need for resistance to the occupation, and for Islamic-Christian cooperation, so that we will remove the foreign Zionist Jewish intruders..." Al-Hayat (London), January 20, 2002.
"Some freedom fighters adopt martyrdom or suicide bombings, while others opt for other measures... Don't expect us to keep [a] distance and watch. We are in the struggle whether it is martyrdom or any other means... The Muslims and the Christians are one and cannot be separated from the struggle for the liberation of Palestine." Gulf News website, June 20, 2002.
"Don't expect us to keep distance and watch. We are in the struggle (against Israel) whether it is martyrdom or any other means." -Fr. Atallah Hanna
"We declare publicly our blessing, support, and legitimization of the brave Palestinian resistance by any means... Martyrdom operations are an excellent and good way to resist the Zionist invasion." Al-Quds Al-Arabi (London), January 18, 2003.
Though Father Hanna denied making these statements quoted in the Arabic press, he has become something of a folk hero in Muslim eyes. Israel detained him for questioning in 2002 after a reported solidarity visit with Hizb'Allah in Lebanon. Meantime, the Greek Patriarchate eventually tired of distancing themselves from his comments and demoted the outspoken prie! st.
In response, Father Hanna and other leaders of the Arab Orthodox community blamed Israel for his removal, specifically accusing the Sharon government of pressuring the Greek Church to silence him in order to widen its grip on church properties.
Under these difficult and complex circumstances, the Greek Patriarchate has done admirably well in staying neutral in the ongoing conflict and should be commended for preserving over the centuries many cherished landmarks of the Christian faith in the Holy Land. They need not give in to the current hostile takeover bid, lest a Father Hanna cloud many a title in the land and deliberately drag Israel into an international incident over where President Moshe Katsav lays his head at night.
This article first appeared in the Holy Land Supplement of the International Jerusalem Post. The writer is public relations officer for the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem; www.icej.org
