Jerusalem: Cultural Heritage
(asked on 4th June 2025) - View Source
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of their policies with regard to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories on Armenian Christians in Jerusalem; and whether they plan to take steps to help preserve their presence in the Old City.
Answered by
Lord Collins of Highbury
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK recognises that Jerusalem holds particular significance for many groups around the globe, especially the three Abrahamic faiths of Christianity, Islam and Judaism. It has been the position of the UK Government since 1967 that the Occupied Palestinian Territories (West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza) are not lawfully part of the State of Israel. In line with relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, we regard East Jerusalem as part of the Occupied Palestinian Territories. His Majesty's Government continue to support the cultural presence and identity in East Jerusalem. Our officials at the British Consulate General in Jerusalem regularly meet with members of the Christian community and Churches in Jerusalem, including the Armenian Patriarchate, to understand the impact of issues affecting their community.