THE Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem suffered a devastating blow to his authority yesterday when his own church leaders broke off contact with him amid fury over the sale of church lands in Jerusalem to Jewish settlers.

Thirteen bishops and 25 archimandrites said that they considered Patriarch Erinaios dismissed, accusing him of being “incorrigibly caught up in a syndrome of lying, religious distortion, degradation of the patriarchate’s role, and irresponsible mishandling of patriarchate property”.

For weeks controversy has swirled around the Church’s sale of two Palestinian-run hotels to Jewish investors from abroad. The identity of the buyers is unknown but the New Imperial and Petra hotels lie just inside the Jaffa Gate entrance to Jerusalem’s walled Old City, and cater to Western backpackers and Christian pilgrims.

The officials have threatened legal proceedings against the 140th Patriarch of the Sacred City of Jerusalem and of the Whole of Palestine, and his associates “to revoke all suspect deals and restore all that was sold”.

Jewish acquisition of property in east Jerusalem is acutely sensitive. Israeli settlers, often financed by backers in the US, have tried to establish footholds in traditionally Arab areas.

Palestinians fear that by expanding into occupied east Jerusualem and building a wall cutting off Palestinian suburbs further east, Israel hopes to alter the demographic balance of the divided city that is claimed by both sides.

Palestinian Authority officials claim that 180,000 Jewish settlers now live in east Jerusalem, which Israel annexed in 1967 after seizing it from Jordan in the Six Day War.

The hotel dispute has lasted months. The Greek Government sent a committee to investigate two months ago, Jordan has twice summoned the Patriarch for an explanation, and the issue was raised at the Arab League summit in Algeria in March. This Easter protesters heckled the Patriarch, demanding his resignation and holding signs reading “Shame on you”.

Patriarch Erinaios, 66, was not available for comment yesterday. He has consistently denied any involvement, blaming the allegations on internal opponents whom he described as “worms and trash”.

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