Armenians Fight Plan for Israel Wall

For decades, Armenians around the world have maintained good relations with both Israel and Palestinians, avoiding most of the politics and bloodshed in the Middle East.

But now, in churches and coffeehouses from Burbank to Bethlehem, Armenian religious and political leaders have entered the conflict, focusing on a small, but to many Armenians incalculably significant, swath of land in the West Bank.

The dispute stems from the Israeli army’s recent bulldozing of hundreds of olive trees in a 17th century Armenian sanctuary--part of an effort to make way for a concrete barrier that will eventually divide Israel and Palestinian-controlled lands on the West Bank.

Israel says the wall is intended to prevent Palestinian militants from making violent forays into Israel.

To Armenians, it is not the wall that is at issue, but its location.

The planned barrier, complete with barbed wire and motion detectors, would run through the heart of the Baron Der sanctuary, which is owned by the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem and has been used for centuries as a burial ground for Armenian monks. Armenians have petitioned the Israel High Court of Justice to order that the wall be placed on one side of the 36-acre property.

An Israeli diplomat said recently that a settlement could be reached before the high court weighs in. “The church and the army are trying to settle the matter,” said Moshe Fox, minister for public affairs at the Israeli Embassy in Washington.

But as those discussions continue, Armenian organizations--including many in Los Angeles County--have united to protest the Israeli army’s actions.

“My office has been inundated with phone calls and inquiries from our community, expressing strong concern over the seizure of these historic Christian properties,” said Peter J. Abajian, director of the Western offices of the Armenian Assembly of America, based in Beverly Hills.

“While the Armenian community certainly understands the Israeli position regarding security, it is unacceptable to accomplish this at the expense of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem,” he added.

Abajian said many Armenians had asked him to coordinate demonstrations.

But he and leaders at the Armenian National Council in Glendale, the Armenian Council of America in Pasadena and other groups, conscious of diplomatic consequences, are pushing to delay any street protests in the hope a settlement is reached.

The sanctuary lies between a Palestinian-controlled area and the outskirts of Jerusalem.

The Armenian patriarch said the controversy began April 21, when the Israeli army paved a military road passing through the Baron Der property, dividing the parcel into two “useless plots.”

When paving the road, the army destroyed tombs and antiquities and uprooted many olive trees that were hundreds of years old, according to the patriarch.

Oil from the trees was used to light lamps at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem and the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

“We are upset, because the Baron Der property and the olive grove has been ours since we purchased it in 1641,” said Bishop Aris Shirvanian, foreign relations director for the patriarchate. “We are quite mad, because this has been done against our will and in secret.”

Meirav Shahar, counsel of communications at the Israeli Consulate in Los Angeles, said Israel acknowledges Armenian ownership of the land and is not challenging it, “but we need access to this land on a temporary basis.”

She would not define “temporary.” One Israel official noted that a security fence in the Gaza Strip is 8 years old.

“What we are building now is a buffer zone that we hope will stop terrorism,” said Shahar. “We would rather that it didn’t go there through Baron Der. But now it’s up to the Supreme Court. We are awaiting their decision. It is not something we are happy about.”

A letter from the half-million-member Armenian Church in America to its parishioners urged them to get involved in the dispute.

“Israeli forces are seizing land owned by the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, but it’s not just a distant problem,” said the letter, written by Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, primate of the Eastern Diocese. “It is a crisis that requires action of all Armenians, especially those in America.... Together, with our prayers and voices united, we will be able to bring attention to this little plot of Armenian land caught in the midst of two warring factions.”

Israeli Embassy official Fox, while defending the wall, said he was concerned that the incident could damage relationships with Armenians.

“We have very cordial relations with the Armenians over there,” he said. “Nobody in Israel wants to create any damage to the relationships with the Armenian church.”

Armenians in the Los Angeles area say they believe that, but many are still angry.

“The seizure of this land has aroused great emotions among all Armenians,” said Nahabed Melkonian, a Jerusalem-born writer and political activist in Glendale. “We understand the importance spiritual sites have for Israelis. We hope the Israelis will be equally sensitive to the Armenian devotion to our centuries-old Baron Der property as a spiritual site.”