Posted on 01/25/2004 10:32:45 PM PST by Destro
Jan. 25, 2004
Greek Orthodox patriarch approved
By ABIGAIL RADOSZKOWICZ
After a delay of more than two years, the cabinet on Sunday approved Irineos I as Greek Orthodox patriarch of Jerusalem.
Under medieval Byzantine law Israel, as the local temporal ruler, has the right to withhold recognition of the patriarch's election by the higher clergy of the local Greek Orthodox community. Charges that Irineos I was close to the Palestinian Authority had led the government to hold off approval. The delay led to strains in the otherwise warm relations between the Jewish and Greek Orthodox communities in the United States.
One of those who greeted the news of Sunday's confirmation with enthusiasm was Rabbi David Rosen, international interfaith director of the American Jewish Committee.
"I think Israel has done the right and wise thing, and I regret that it took so long for this inevitable and obvious decision."
Rosen has long held that the charges against Irineos were cooked up by contractors, speculators and other interests with an eye on the prime parcels of Jerusalem real estate which belong to the Greek Orthodox Church.
Rosen pointed out that an anti-Semitic letter printed on the front page of Ma'ariv, purportedly sent by Irineos to Palestinian Authority chairman Yasser Arafat, was an obvious forgery, bearing as it did the patriarchial seal even though it was supposedly sent before Irineos had been elected patriarch.
In fact, although the PA, along with the Jordanian government, did give its approval immediately to Irineos's election in 2001, it has since been involved in a campaign against Irineos, accusing him of planning to sell church property to Jews and of trying to turn the Arab members of the church into a minority.
Rosen notices that tension has risen within the local Greek Orthodox community. On the one hand, resentment has grown among the native Arab constituency against the upper clergy, who are mostly from Greece. On the other hand, the number of Provoslavic believers among the immigrants to Israel from the former Soviet Union are now estimated to make up nearly half of the local Orthodox population of 110,000, causing the Arab members to feel that they are losing their leverage.
One native-born Greek Orthodox clergyman, Archimandrite Atalla Hana from Galilee, has been widely reported to condone suicide bombers, but Irineos severely reprimanded him.
Can you list ONE positive . . . ONE advantage Israel has accrued over this period. I used to follow this story closely but have lost track. What happened to put the deal over the top. Did Irineos cut loose with some realestate?
Sadly many of the native born are arabs first and Christians second. Their Christianity takes a back seat to killing the enemys of the PA.
Sadly many of the native born are arabs first and Christians second. Their Christianity takes a back seat to killing the enemys of the PA.
Sadly many of the native born are arabs first and Christians second. Their Christianity takes a back seat to killing the enemys of the PA.
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