Jerusalem Court Rejects Bid to Halt Sale of Prime Land by Greek Orthodox Patriarchate

The Jerusalem District Court dismissed a request by a group of investors led by attorney Yehuda Talmon to prevent the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate from selling a 5-dunam plot of land in central Jerusalem. The land is located on Emil Botta Street near the King David Hotel and the French Embassy. Following this decision, the Supreme Court also rejected the investors' appeal against the ruling. Alongside the injunction request, the investors filed a lawsuit that is expected to be heard later.

The dispute dates back to 1999, when the Patriarchate signed a combination deal involving the land. According to the agreement, the investors were to receive compensation for about one dunam, planned for roughly ten apartments. However, deals with Avital Properties and later with Nof Tzmarot did not materialize. The investors recently discovered that the church intends to sell the land to a foreign company registered in the Virgin Islands and sought an injunction to block the sale to a third party.

Judge Avigdor Dorot rejected the injunction, criticizing the investors for delaying their request, which undermined the urgency claim. He also noted the investors failed to disclose the combination agreement with Avital and the ongoing legal dispute, calling these "material and relevant facts that were allegedly concealed." Consequently, he ruled the investors’ chances of success were low and did not meet the threshold for an injunction. The judge further stated that the investors should have included Piero Company, which holds some rights sold by the Patriarchate, in the proceedings.

The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate owns extensive land in Jerusalem, including about 570 dunams in the Talbiya and Rehavia neighborhoods, where around 900 apartments, hotels, and public institutions have been built. Over the past two decades, the Patriarchate has sold or entered combination deals for parts of its holdings, causing concern among tenants about their homes’ future. In 2022, the church signed a deal with American developer Gary Barnett, heightening tenant worries as lease agreements approach expiration. Negotiations between tenants and the company are currently ongoing.