Hay Dat Jerusalem Office head: Jerusalem's Armenians have no intention to leave

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenians have been residing in Israel for centuries, with one of the quarters of the Old City of Jerusalem carrying the name Armenian Quarter. The Quarter hosts the Patriarchate and Matenadaran, second largest depository of ancient manuscripts, storing over 4000 items.

''We, Armenians, have lived here for 1600 years. Naturally, upon formation of the State of Israel many of us resolved to leave. However, those who stayed assumed Israeli citizenship,'' Georgetta Avakian, head of Hay Dat Jerusalem Office told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

''Armenians are leaving not because they're oppressed by Jews, but due to current hardships. Many left in 1967, during the Six-Day War.''

''Currently about 5000 Armenians reside in Israel with 2000 of them comprised by an old community; the rest are former USSR repatriates. We, an old community, have no intention to leave,'' Ms. Avagyan stressed.

Commenting on resent report by The Daily Star Lebanese newspaper, she noted that Armenians are leaving Lebanon as well.

The Daily Star published an article titled Jerusalem Armenians Face Uncertain Future. The article dealt with the outflow of Israel's Armenians.