Jordan Times
Tuesday, August 7, 2001
Israel withdraws objections to Greek Orthodox patriarch candidates
TEL AVIV(AP) — Israel's government has withdrawn its objections to some of the candidates for patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church, officials said Monday, defusing a deep crisis between the church and Israel.On July 9, Israel sent a letter to church leaders, disqualifying five of the 15 candidates for the highest Greek Orthodox post in the Holy Land, to replace Diodoros I, who died Dec. 20.
Church officials expressed outrage at Israel's meddling in church affairs. The Israeli prime minister's office replied that it was acting within its authority, disqualifying the five for unspecified security reasons.
After Justice Minister Meir Sheetrit studied the issue, he decided to overturn the decision, said his spokesman, Yonatan Beker. At a meeting Sunday, he gave church leaders a letter approving all 15 candidates.
Greek Orthodox official Metropolitan Timotheos, who attended the meeting, told the Associated Press on Monday, “The issue is settled.” Timotheos was one of the banned candidates.
Sheetrit's letter said his decision was made “taking into account the importance of your honoured church and our desire for continued cooperation.”
The patriarch is elected by the 17 bishops of the Holy Synod and priests from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate. The Holy Synod is made up of bishops from the Greek Orthodox Church in Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian National Authority.
Under a law dating back to Byzantine Emperor Justinian, who ruled in the 6th century, the government in the Holy Land has the right to approve or disqualify candidates for the office of patriarch. The list was submitted to the governments of Israel and Jordan, as well as the Palestinian Authority.
Jordan and the Palestinian Authority made no deletions.
According to church officials, there are about 100,000 Greek Orthodox faithful in the Holy Land.