FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J. — On January 24, community leaders, members of the clergy and activists gathered at the home of Ara and Aline Araz to support the Save the Armenian Quarter (Save the ArQ) Movement, an initiative dedicated to protecting the historic Armenian presence in Jerusalem. The event, hosted by Berj and Suzanne Akian, Ara and Aline Araz, Thomas and Carol Ashbahian, Dr. Garbis and Laura Baydar, Peter Bedevian, Dr. Garo and Cecelia Garibian, James and Maral Sahagian, and Dean Shahinian, Esq., featured an in-depth discussion with Hagop Djernazian and Setrag Balian, founders of the movement.
The event raised $36,000 to support ongoing legal efforts and $10,000 more was raised in Boston and Detroit, but additional funds are urgently needed to continue defending the Armenian community’s rights. Tax-deductible contributions can be sent to Armenian Legal Defense Front Inc., 800 Maine Avenue SW, Ste. 200, Washington DC 20024 or go to https://bit.ly/Save-the-ArQ to donate online.
The Save the ArQ Movement, launched in May 2023, is fighting an unlawful 98-year lease agreement signed by the Armenian Patriarchate with the developer Xana Gardens. The Armenian community filed a lawsuit on February 18, 2024, in the Jerusalem District Court, arguing that:
Lack of Authority – The Patriarchate’s internal bylaws prohibit long-term property leases without specific approvals, which were not obtained.
Waqf (Trust) Status – The disputed land, known as Cow Garden, is classified as a Waqf (endowment), established under Ottoman Sharia law and recognized by Israeli courts. Such endowments cannot be sold or leased for private development.
Djernazian and Balian explained how this legal position distinguishes the Armenian community’s lawsuit from a separate claim filed by the Patriarchate, where the Patriarchate didn’t argue important arguments to nullify the deal. The community’s lawsuit demands the complete cancellation of the lease, asserting that the Patriarchate had no legal authority to sign it.
