13 Dec 2022; MEMO: The Israeli occupation government is in the process of determining the ownership of a church in the Old City of occupied Jerusalem at Russia's request, broadcaster Kan has revealed.
According to the news channel, the occupation state is taking steps to resolve the "real estate dispute" with Moscow. Russia insists on ownership of the Church of Saint Alexander Nevsky and Alexander Square being transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church. Israel's failure to respond to the Russian request, said Kan, has created "tension" in the relationship between Tel Aviv and Moscow.
Lawyers appointed by the Israeli occupation government are collecting evidence and witness statements from both parties to the dispute. Incoming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signed a document recognising the church as a "sacred site". This puts the resolution of the issue in the hands of politicians, not the judiciary, despite the petitions submitted in this regard.
Alexander Square has been the subject of dispute for years between the Palestinian Orthodox Society (OPS) and the Russian Orthodox Church. In the early nineties, after arbitration that lasted about ten years, courts in Israel and New York judged that the OPS is the legal owner of Alexander Square, which it bought from the then Russian Tsar's family. The Israeli government, therefore, has no authority to transfer it to a third party, according to what was reported by The Marker website on 7 December.
