Jerusalem court rejects bid to merge Armenian Quarter lawsuits

(Horizon Weekly) — The Jerusalem District Court on January 9 rejected a motion by Xana Gardens Ltd. to consolidate the Armenian community’s lawsuit over the Cows’ Garden property with a separate case filed by the Armenian Patriarchate, marking an important development in the ongoing legal battle over the future of Jerusalem’s Armenian Quarter.

Xana Gardens argued that consolidating the two cases would promote judicial efficiency, asserting that they involved similar legal issues. The Armenian community’s legal team opposed the request, stressing that the proceedings rest on different factual and legal foundations and noting that Xana Gardens has failed to file a statement of defence in the Patriarchate’s case for more than two years. The court agreed, ruling that despite superficial similarities, the cases raise distinct legal and evidentiary questions and should proceed independently. It further concluded that consolidation would not serve judicial efficiency and could instead cause procedural delay. No order as to costs was made.

Crucially, the court recognized that the community’s lawsuit challenges the Patriarchate’s authority to enter into the controversial Cows’ Garden agreement, an issue requiring independent judicial scrutiny. The decision ensures that each case will move forward on its own merits.

The ruling comes amid heightened concern over the future of Jerusalem’s Armenian Quarter, one of the Old City’s four historic quarters and home to a continuous Armenian Christian presence for over 1,600 years. At the center of the dispute is the Cows’ Garden, a large tract of land on Mount Scion whose proposed long-term lease has sparked widespread opposition within the Armenian community. Community leaders warn that the deal threatens not only Armenian property rights but also the territorial integrity and long-term viability of the Armenian presence in the Old City, making the outcome of these legal proceedings pivotal for the preservation of one of Jerusalem’s oldest indigenous communities.