ANCA raising Washington, DC alarms over threats to Jerusalem`s  Armenian Christian Quarter 

ArmInfo. The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) will host two events on Monday, January 27 - one at its headquarters (in-person and webcast) and the  other on Capitol Hill -  addressing the urgent threats to the  Armenian Christian Quarter in Jerusalem's Old City, a cornerstone of  the Holy Land's Christian heritage since the 4th century. 

The briefings - part of a broader series of Eastern U.S.  presentations - will feature insights from Setrag Balian and Hagop  Djernazian, co-founders of the Save the ArQ initiative. Their  movement has been at the forefront of defending the Armenian Quarter  against the encroachments of developers and settler groups attempting  to displace the ancient community.  Balian and Djernazian will share  firsthand accounts of the ongoing legal battle to prevent the  privatization and commercialization of the quarter's historic spaces,  including the contested Cows' Garden.  

"Our Eastern U.S. tour gives us an opportunity to present the current  situation in the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem. We look forward to  speaking with lawmakers and diplomats in D.C., New York, and Chicago  about the community's existential crisis. Protecting our millennia  long Christian presence in the Old City is critical, and we thank our  partners like the ANCA and other organizations that are working with  us to raise awareness about our struggle," stated Djernazian.

ANCA Policy Director Alex Galitsky explained, "The plight of  Jerusalem's Armenian Quarter is more than just a land dispute, it's  an existential struggle against a pattern of displacement and  dispossession Armenians have faced across the region - from the  ethnic cleansing of Artsakh to threats our community face throughout  the Middle East today.  At its core, this is a struggle for human  rights, religious freedom, and the preservation of Jerusalem's rich  cultural tapestry threatened by settler violence and state-backed  extremism." 

Setrag Balian is a fourth-generation descendant of the prominent  Balian family, known for their role in establishing Armenian ceramics  in Jerusalem. An activist and writer, he has studied economics in  France and Armenia and ceramics in Spain. Balian has written  extensively about the Armenian community in Jerusalem and is a vocal  advocate for preserving its architectural and cultural heritage.

Hagop Djernazian, a resident of the Armenian Quarter, is a  fourth-generation descendant of survivors of the Armenian Genocide.  As a co-founder of Save the ArQ, Djernazian has played a pivotal role  in raising awareness about the importance of safeguarding this  historic and culturally significant Armenian land. He holds a degree  in International Relations and Middle East Studies from the Hebrew  University of Jerusalem and is pursuing a second degree in law.

 Khachkar Studios, which is investing $10+ million in strengthening  Armenian Christian media and outreach in the US, is promoting the  events through a targeted online ad campaign across the U.S.

Parallel to the events, the ANCA has launched a nationwide online  action campaign - https://anca.org/ArmenianChristianQuarter -  updating U.S. senators and representatives about the latest threats  against Jerusalem's Armenian Christian quarter and urging them to  track any and all threats - legal, political, and physical - against  the Armenian Quarter, to exercise close oversight of the Executive  Branch stakeholders responsible for this region, and to seek clarity  from the Israeli Embassy regarding the steps the Israeli government  is taking to protect the ancient Armenian Christian presence in the  Holy Land.

The Armenian Quarter has come under increasing threat due to an  illegal 98-year lease agreement signed in 2021, which transferred  control of key sites to Xana Capital, a company tied to settler  organizations. This deal, orchestrated without community consent,  sparked legal battles, public demonstrations, and acts of violence  against Armenian residents.

The Armenian presence in Jerusalem dates back to Armenia's adoption  of Christianity as its national religion in 301 AD. Today, the  Armenian Quarter is home to the St. James Monastery, one of  Christianity's oldest religious institutions. The quarter is not only  a spiritual center but also a cultural and historic treasure  recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage  Site.

Since 2020, efforts to forcibly alter the status quo have escalated.  A report by Save the ArQ documented numerous violent incidents,  including attacks on peaceful demonstrators and arrests of Armenian  activists.  The community has maintained a 24/7 vigil to protect the  quarter, despite intimidation by armed groups linked to settler  organizations.

 The Capitol Hill briefing follows a similar event hosted by Rep.  Joaquin Castro (D-TX) in January 2024, which brought international  attention to these issues. Djernazian's testimony during that  briefing underscored the global implications of allowing such   violations to go unchecked.