The Greek Patriarchate of Jerusalem has filed a lawsuit demanding the closure of a ‘living’ museum that has been operating on the outskirts of the capital since the early 1990s.
The lawsuit, filed early last week at the Jerusalem District Court, claims the Ein Yael outdoor museum in the city’s south has been illegally operating on premises owned by the Patriarchate.
Thousands of school children visit the museum every year to attend summer camps and learn about ancient archaeology and agriculture.
While the Patriarchate conceded in its lawsuit that it had signed documents with plans for developing the museum two years ago, it claims that it did not agree to the museum actually operating on its property.
“The plaintiff was shocked to discover that the defendant is making use of the land and deriving profit at the expense of the plaintiff and operating a museum there without its consent or knowledge,” the lawsuit read.
The suit then asks the court to order the closure and evacuation of the museum.
In response, the museum and its biggest sponsor, the Jerusalem Foundation, have said they are “studying the lawsuit.”
