Wednesday, August 14, 2002

Our discussion on the Baron Der issue in the holy land has bared results. One of our readers who writes for a Hebrew language paper in Israel took the initiative to write an article to further heighten public awareness of what is going. I think it would be appropriate to thank our log reader Sariel Birnmaum for a job well done.

The following is an English translation of the highlights that Sariel prepared so the readers of Cilicia could read her article:

Rage among Armenian communities in the world because land seizures for the separation wall in Jerusalem
�HATSOFE� 09-08-02

By Sariel Birnbaum

Israeli Defense forces is about to establish in the area of an Armenian monastery a wall which will separate Beth-Lehem and Jerusalem. This issue wages a storm among Armenian communities through the world.

This land, called Baron Der, includes many caves, graves and 1600 old olive trees. And a building used by Armenian clergy. ...

According to the Patriarchy, in August 2001 the IDF destroyed the monastery wall and caused enormous damage to the church�s property there, estimated by hundred thousands dollars .

(a photo of the area).

The government of Armenia, along with Armenian Church and Armenian organizations in USA decided to begin pressures campaign against Israel in order to convince her to withdraw the seizure decision. The majority of Armenians today live in communities all around the world �

The Armenian National Committee of America shows conspicuously in its web-site the Israeli planned measures, and offers its members to send protest letters to secretary of state Powel and Israeli embassy in Washington. The surfers in the many Armenian web-sites show anger for the insult of church�s property and the Israeli despise of the holy site.

...there is a fear that this issue will encourage the streams among the Armenian community in Jerusalem to cut the ties from Israel and get closer to Palestinian position...the response of IDF spokesman: The Armenian Church appealed the Supreme
Court. The state�s response was not submitted yet.

...(some details about the Armenian Community in Jerusalem)

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