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

Hosting Capitol Hill and community briefings by Save the ArQ leaders Setrag Balian and Hagop Djernazian

Save the ArQ’s Setrag Balian and Hagop Djernazian will be joining with D.C. Armenian community members and supporters at the ANCA headquarters for a briefing, which will be webcast on ANCA social media

WASHINGTON—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 fourth century.

“The Future of Jerusalem’s Armenian Christian Quarter”

U.S. Capitol Hill briefing: January 27, 2025 | 1:00 p.m. EST
Location: Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2043
Lunch will be provided
Registration: RSVP@ANCA.org | https://go.anca.org/ArmenianChristianQuarter

In-person briefing and live webcast at ANCA headquarters
January 27, 2025 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Location: ANCA Offices, 1711 N Street NW, Washington, DC
Registration: https://anca.org/save_the_arq_event/

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.”

During a Capitol Hill presentation, Save the ArQ’s Setrag Balian and Hagop Djernazian will share insights on Jerusalem’s Armenian Quarter and the encroachment of developers and settler groups attempting to displace the ancient community

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 U.S., 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.

ANCA
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest and most influential Armenian-American grassroots organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.

2 Comments

  1. God bless your work on preserving the ancient Armenian presence in the holy city of Jerusalem.

  2. With the very powerful Israel lobby practically calling the shots in US Congress and indeed in every US State Congresses, Armenian groups would face an insurmountable challenge. The Evangelical Christian groups would choose the side of the Jewish lobby over that of Christian Armenians, because of the mutual ideological and political interests and symbiotic relationship between these two groups. That precious few US Congress members have expressed any support for Armenians on this issue, is a result of this.

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