PLO continues boycotting Greek Orthodox Patriarch who sold land to Israelis

Headline: “Calls to continue the boycott of Patriarch Theophilos in the Christmas celebrations”

“The PLO national forces in the Bethlehem district emphasized their complete adherence to the decisions and document of the [Christian] Orthodox Arab Conference that was held in Bethlehem, in the shadow of the continued existential dangers that threaten the fate and rights of the Orthodox Arab members of our Palestinian people given the influential policy of the patriarchate led by [Greek Orthodox] Patriarch Theophilos [III], who is popularly ostracized.

In a press release, a copy of which reached the [independent Palestinian news agency] Donia Al-Watan, the national forces called to adhere to the firm national positionto continue the boycott and not welcome Christian Greek Orthodox Patriarch Tehophilos and his aides in the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem at the Christmas event of the Orthodox Arab community…

The PLO factions in the Bethlehem district called to work against the actions of selling and transferring [land] to Zionist settlement companies and associations, which are being led by the Orthodox Patriarchate authority headed by Patriarch Theophilos III and those who follow his path among the corrupt who enjoy his gifts and the Orthodox community’s real estate owners.”

The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate sold 500 dunams (124 acres) to Israeli investor groups in 2017. This transaction was made public in June 2017.