Armenian organizations in Jerusalem demand cancellation of secret deal over ‘Cows’ Garden’

Six Armenian organizations in Jerusalem have issued a joint statement regarding a new secret deal concerning the “Cows’ Garden”—a historic site that belongs to the Armenian Apostolic Church. According to them, Patriarch of Jerusalem Nourhan Manougian signed a deal with the Israeli company Xana Gardens without consulting the Armenian community. One particularly alarming clause requires the withdrawal of legal claims filed over the previous deal, which could effectively legitimize it.

The statement emphasizes that attempting to sign a new agreement behind closed doors undermines public interest and threatens the future of the Armenian presence in Jerusalem. The organizations demand that the deal not be ratified, that its contents be made public, and that dialogue with the community be established.

In July 2021, Manougian signed a deal leasing the “Cows’ Garden” to Xana Gardens for 99 years. Following mass protests in 2023, he revoked the agreement, and lawyers filed a lawsuit to have it declared invalid. Shortly afterward, the Armenian community was subjected to a series of attacks.