Alexander's Metochion in Jerusalem: Russia is again trying to “squeeze” the Holy Land of Israel

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu again addresses the issue of returning the Alexander Metochion to Russia” stated RIA Novosti On November 1, 2024, Sergei Stepashin, chairman of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society, stated that work to assess the transfer of the farmstead continues, despite the hostilities.

“Despite the war, Netanyahu returned to the work of the so-called working group. She's working We have all the materials presented, they are now being studied, and there are no legal grounds not to recognize this property of the state (Russia. – Ed.) not today“- the head of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society (IOPS) told RIA Novosti at the XXVII Elisabeth-Sergius readings at the Martha and Mary Convent of Mercy in Moscow.”

– he noted that emphasizes Russia's desire to return its “cultural” values.

In December 2023, he reported that the transfer process was “stuck” due to the outbreak of “the conflict in the Gaza Strip,” but was not removed from the agenda.

Stepashin, in a conversation with RIA Novosti, thanked Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov for his active position (how is that?) on the issue of transferring the farmstead, and also said that it was not damaged during the ongoing hostilities.

Alexandrovskoye Compound is located in Jerusalem next to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. The building, built at the end of the 19th century, was registered as the house of the Romanovs. After the 1917 revolution, a dispute over property rights began. By the 2000s, the building of the Alexander Metochion came under the control of the Orthodox Palestine Society (OPS), which declared itself the successor to the pre-revolutionary IOPS.

The Russian IOPS, led by Stepashin, together with the Russian authorities, has been seeking the return of the Alexander Metochion for many years.

The actual owners of the metochion are the “Russian Orthodox Society in the Holy Land”, chaired by Nikolai Vorontsov-Hoffman — easily proved in the Jerusalem District Court the illegality of registering property rights to the government of the Russian Federation.

Netanyahuhaving promised Putin the Alexander Metochion “in exchange” for the release of Naama Issachar, in December 2019 declared the object a “holy place,” which made it possible to stop half a century of legal litigation and resolve the issue politically.

“Russia wants to chop off our land,” – this is the reaction of many analysts to such actions by the Kremlin.

We have already covered this issue before:

• And at this time: “The Alexander Metochion in Jerusalem may be given to the Russian Federation in November” – Russian media.
• The Israeli Supreme Court refused to resolve the issue of rights to the Alexander Compound in favor of the Russian Federation

Legal battles: what does the law say?

In March 2022, the Jerusalem District Court canceled the transfer of rights to the Alexander Compound to the Russian government, canceling the corresponding entry in the land cadastre. This decision caused a wave of discontent in Moscow, and the government appealed to the Supreme Court. The judges, however, recommended that the appeal be abandoned as the chances of success were extremely low. Judge Uzi Fogelman emphasized: “It’s in your best interests that we don’t make a verdict,” which indicates legal instability and weakness of Russia's position.

Political games: Russia versus Israel

The situation is aggravated by the fact that the Israeli government has not yet made a final decision on the transfer of the compound. No official decision was made, leaving the opportunity for the actual owners, the Russian Orthodox Society in the Holy Land, to challenge the registration of ownership. “We easily proved the illegality of registration,” – they said, emphasizing that Russian claims are based on political ambitions, and not on real legal grounds.

Conclusion: What are the consequences?

Russia’s attempts to return the Alexander Metochion against the backdrop of military operations and deteriorating relations with Israel look like a clear attempt to “chop off” the holy land. This creates additional tension and undermines trust between the two countries. The uncertainty surrounding court decisions only exacerbates the situation, leaving open the question of how the further conflict will develop.

Such actions by Russia not only undermine its reputation in the international arena, but also call into question the sincerity of its intentions towards Israel. Political games around the Alexander Metochion are becoming a symbol of geopolitical ambitions that could have long-term consequences for stability in the region and relations between countries.

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