Jewish Settlement in Christian Quarter of Jerusalem Brings Call for Protest

Eastern Orthodox churches in America are being asked to observe Sunday as a day of prayer and protest against the Jewish settlement in the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem that was established with help from the Israeli government.

Archbishop Iakovos, primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America and chairman of the eight-member Standing Conference of Orthodox Bishops in the Americas, announced that the protest will be done in solidarity with churches in Jerusalem.

Bishop Isaiah, chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America, said the controversy does not represent a Christian-Jewish religious quarrel.

“This certainly has been the first time that there has been deterioration between the Greek Orthodox and the Israeli sides politically and religiously,” the bishop said. He said the Greek Orthodox view the settlement as “an expression of an extreme group of people who have received support from the Israeli government.”

The bishop expressed appreciation for the criticism that Jerusalem Mayor Teddy Kollek has made of the settlers and the Israeli government’s support for them.

“As far as we’re concerned, Teddy Kollek is one of the influential forces that understands the situation correctly and interprets it correctly,” the bishop said.