By a vote of 3-2, a ministerial committee has voted to recommend that Irineos, the anti-Semitic leader of the Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem, be appointed the official Patriarch of the Church. The appointment has great political and financial repercussions.
In the vote, Ministers Meir Sheetrit (Likud) and Tommy Lapid (Shinui), who have long been in favor of the appointment, were joined by Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom (Likud), who had wavered for a long while before finally deciding yesterday to support it. Welfare Minister Zevulun Orlev (National Religious Party) and Jerusalem Affairs Minister Natan Sharansky (Likud) voted against.
The decision must still be approved by the full Cabinet, possibly in its next meeting. Orlev is not optimistic that the Likud ministers will vote against the recommendation. He said that there is a "dark cloud hanging over this appointment," and that Irineos' loyalty to the State and his integrity have "not been proven." He said that he cannot understand why all those that have long objected to Irineos, such as the police, the Shabak, and others, were silent at the last meeting.
The Greek Orthodox Church owns many properties in western Jerusalem, including those on which stand the Knesset, the Prime Minister's and President's residence, the Great Synagogue, and more. The Patriarch thus has the authority to carry out many large-scale real estate deals, and in fact Irineos informed Arafat a few months ago that he plans to grant him as "a personal gift" land in western Jerusalem.
Copies of letters from Irineos to Arafat in which he uses sharp anti-Semitic terminology and openly expresses support for PLO terrorism against Israel can be seen on Arutz-7's website . On July 17, 2001, Irineos wrote,
"You [Arafat] are aware of the sentiments of disgust and disrespect that all the Holy Sepulcher fathers feel for the descendants of the crucifiers of our Lord... actual crucifiers of your people, Sionists [sic] Jewish conquerors of the Holy Land of Palestine..."
Irineos asks Arafat to support him in his quest to become Patriarch, promising that if he is elected, "rest assured, Mr. President, that the rights of our most beloved Palestinian people on the Holy City of Jerusalem will find the most 'hot' supporter."
In the vote, Ministers Meir Sheetrit (Likud) and Tommy Lapid (Shinui), who have long been in favor of the appointment, were joined by Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom (Likud), who had wavered for a long while before finally deciding yesterday to support it. Welfare Minister Zevulun Orlev (National Religious Party) and Jerusalem Affairs Minister Natan Sharansky (Likud) voted against.
The decision must still be approved by the full Cabinet, possibly in its next meeting. Orlev is not optimistic that the Likud ministers will vote against the recommendation. He said that there is a "dark cloud hanging over this appointment," and that Irineos' loyalty to the State and his integrity have "not been proven." He said that he cannot understand why all those that have long objected to Irineos, such as the police, the Shabak, and others, were silent at the last meeting.
The Greek Orthodox Church owns many properties in western Jerusalem, including those on which stand the Knesset, the Prime Minister's and President's residence, the Great Synagogue, and more. The Patriarch thus has the authority to carry out many large-scale real estate deals, and in fact Irineos informed Arafat a few months ago that he plans to grant him as "a personal gift" land in western Jerusalem.
Copies of letters from Irineos to Arafat in which he uses sharp anti-Semitic terminology and openly expresses support for PLO terrorism against Israel can be seen on Arutz-7's website . On July 17, 2001, Irineos wrote,
"You [Arafat] are aware of the sentiments of disgust and disrespect that all the Holy Sepulcher fathers feel for the descendants of the crucifiers of our Lord... actual crucifiers of your people, Sionists [sic] Jewish conquerors of the Holy Land of Palestine..."
Irineos asks Arafat to support him in his quest to become Patriarch, promising that if he is elected, "rest assured, Mr. President, that the rights of our most beloved Palestinian people on the Holy City of Jerusalem will find the most 'hot' supporter."