Greek Patriarchate Confirms JNF Right to Extend Jerusalem Land Leases

The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate has submitted a response to the Israeli Supreme Court of Justice regarding a petition filed by residents living on its former lands in central Jerusalem. In its filing, the Patriarchate confirmed for the first time that it had no doubt the Jewish National Fund (JNF) would extend its long-term lease agreements, as the JNF had stated.

The lands in question span 520 dunams in the Talbiya and Rehavia neighborhoods of central Jerusalem. This area hosts approximately 900 apartments, three high-end hotels (Inbal, Prima Royal, and Dan Panorama), and public institutions including the Khan Theater, the Great Synagogue, the Begin Heritage Center, part of the Israel Museum, and the Israel Democracy Institute.

Long-term lease agreements, originally signed in the early 1950s, grant the JNF extensive rights to these plots for an annual fee of $30,000. Residents filed a petition with the Supreme Court in July 2025, seeking to compel the JNF to extend these leases, which are set to expire in 2051-2052. Uncertainty surrounding the future of these land parcels and fears of eviction have reportedly caused apartment values to drop by tens of percent.

The Patriarchate's statement complicates the position of American developer Gary Barnett's group, which purchased the land's ownership rights in 2023 for 750 million shekels from Neot Komemiyut. Neot Komemiyut had acquired the land from the Patriarchate in two stages, the last in 2016, for approximately 114 million shekels. Barnett's purchase included the long-term lease agreement with the JNF, which currently prevents him from disposing of the land.

The core dispute centers on the JNF's right to renew its lease and the associated cost. The Patriarchate's response suggests that the new owners will have to accept the lease extension. Attached to the Patriarchate's filing was a letter from the JNF dated January 2023, prior to the deal with Barnett. In it, the JNF clarified to potential buyers that its lease rights and renewal options applied to the plots, leaving the Patriarchate and its successors only with formal ownership rights, primarily the collection of annual rent.