A crowd of Palestinians pummeled the car of the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem during a visit to the occupied West Bank on Saturday (January 6) in protest over the church's decision to sell land to Jewish groups.
The Greek Orthodox Church is one of the biggest private landowners in the Holy Land and in recent years has stirred controversy both among Israelis and Palestinians for trying to sell prime assets to private investors.
Israeli media have reported that the deals include properties in East and West Jerusalem, as well as in the port cities of Caesarea and Jaffa. They identified some Jewish and Israeli investors as potential buyers.
Church officials have said they need to sell land in order to pay back debt that has accumulated over the years. Until now the church has been leasing out the land to residents in long-term contracts.
REUTERS
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