The hotel, built between 1894 and 1898, is considered one of the prominent historical landmarks in Jerusalem and is located in the Bab Al-Khalil area within the Old City. It is owned by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and has been rented by the Muslim Dajani family since 1949.
The hotel played an important role in strengthening the Arab presence and preserving the cultural identity of Jerusalem, despite legal challenges and attempts at Judaization. Thanks to legal efforts and international support, the hotel is a symbol of resilience in the heart of the city.
Location and date
The Imperial Hotel is one of the prominent historical hotels in Jerusalem. It is located in the Bab Al-Khalil area in Omar bin Al-Khattab Square within the walls of the Old City. It was built in the late 19th century between 1894 and 1898.
The hotel has an area of 1,800 square meters and contains 44 rooms. It is part of the property of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and has been rented by the Muslim Dajani family since 1949.
Construction and design
The Imperial Hotel was built on land that was used as a granary and horse burial ground during the Ottoman era, before its ownership was transferred to the Orthodox Church.
The hotel was built in a modern style based on the Gothic building style. When the Jerusalemite Morcos family began excavations to build the hotel’s foundations, workers found traces of an old pond that had been converted into a water tank beneath the hotel.
The hotel has 3 facades, the most prominent of which is the southern facade, which is characterized by double columns and wide balconies overlooking the historic Jerusalem Citadel.
The building was decorated with elaborate decorations and Greek urns, and reddish royal stone was used in its construction.
Current management and legal disputes
The hotel is owned by the Patriarchate, and the Dajani family rented it from it. It is a protected tenant even before the Israeli occupation existed, meaning that if the Patriarchate sells the hotel, the Dajani family cannot be removed from the hotel and cannot be prevented from managing it.
In 2004, the hotel was part of a deal under which lands and real estate were transferred to settlement associations by the former Greek Orthodox Patriarch Ireneos. This deal was approved by the occupation judiciary and through it a sale agreement was signed between the financial director of the patriarchate and the “Ateret Cohanim” settlement association.
According to this deal, a case was filed against the Dajani family, demanding the eviction of the hotel and the payment of 10 million shekels (about 2.67 million dollars) in rent for the period from 2004 to 2019. The deal then led to the aforementioned patriarch stepping down after he was accused of leaking official documents and papers from the patriarchal treasury related to his conviction. In sales deals to Israeli parties.
This decision prompted the Supreme Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine to hold an emergency meeting, in which it confirmed that the Israeli court’s decision was political par excellence, noting that the decision ignored the methods of fraud and bribery used by the settlers and one of their collaborators from within the Patriarchate to pass the deal.
Efforts to maintain the hotel
The Dajani family demanded the formation of a committee consisting of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Palestinian National Authority, representatives of the Greek Orthodox monastery and the Greek government to address the evacuation decision.
The family is counting on international pressure and moral and legal support from the Greek Patriarchate in Jerusalem to prevent the eviction.
Continue to persevere
Among the ongoing legal efforts to cancel the deal is that the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem confirmed in 2021 the cancellation of the seizure decision.
The Patriarchate’s legal team and the Dajani family’s legal team cooperated in implementing a legal strategy aimed at protecting real estate.
With these efforts, the Imperial Hotel continues to represent part of the ways to strengthen the Arab presence in Jerusalem, which is constantly being subjected to Judaization.
Source : Tel Aviv Tribune + Palestinian press + Websites
