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| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 5,000[1]–6,000[2] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Jerusalem,Haifa,Holon,Nazareth,Bethlehem | |
| Languages | |
| Armenian Modern Hebrew Levantine Arabic[3] | |
| Religion | |
| Armenian Apostolic Church Armenian Catholic Church Armenian Evangelical Church Judaism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Armenians |
Armenians in Israel and Palestine (Hebrew:ארמנים;Arabic:أَرْمَنِيُّون) make up a community of approximately 5,000–6,000Armenians living in bothIsrael andPalestine.
In 1986, it was estimated that 1,500 Armenians lived in the city of Jerusalem.[4] According to a 2006 survey, 790 Armenians lived inJerusalem's Old City.[5] In 2021, an estimate of approximately 5,000–6,000 Armenians lived across Israel and Palestine.[6][7]
A significant minority of the Armenian community has been resident in theLevant for centuries.
Recorded Armenian presence in Israel dates back to the 1st century BCE, when the Armenian kingTigranes the Great made much ofJudea a vassal of theKingdom of Armenia.[citation needed]
The first recorded Armenian pilgrimage to the Holy Land was an Armenian delegation of priests in the early 4th century AD. The visit is alluded to in an Armenian translation of a Greek letter written by PatriarchMacarius of Jerusalem to his contemporary,St. Vrtanes (ruled 333–341).[8]
TheArmenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem was founded in 638.[5] It is located in theArmenian Quarter, the smallest quarter of theOld City of Jerusalem.
Starting in the 1850s Armenians became dominant amongPalestine's photographers.[9] The central figure in this development was the leading clericEsayee Garabedian, who were to becomeArmenian Patriarch of Jerusalem in 1864–65, and who started photographing in 1857[10] and established a photography workshop within theSt. James monastic compound. There he set up a school for photography,Garabed Krikorian (1847–1920) and his brother Kevork counting among his students.[10][9] Other 19th-century Armenian photographers from Jerusalem are J. H. Halladjian, M. Mardikian and Yusuf Toumaian. After theArmenian genocide other photographers joined them, including Hrnat Nakashian andElia Kahvedjian.
Garabed Krikorian opened a photography workshop on Jaffa Road in the 1870s and became himself a teacher, one of his students beingKhalil Raad, known as "Palestine's firstArab photographer".[11][12] Another one of his students, Abraham Guiragossian, worked for the famousMaison Bonfils studio of Beirut and eventually bought it up (see there).
Elia Kahvedjian (1910-1999), a refugee of the Armenian genocide, was one of the leading photographers in Jerusalem at the beginning of the 20th century.[13]Kegham Djeghalian (1915–1981), another Armenian genocide refugee survivor, openedGaza's first photography studio in 1944.[14]
Many Armenians fromKütahya, a city in Turkey, were known for their hand-painted ceramic wares and tiles. In 1919, several master craftsmen were brought to Jerusalem to renovate the tiles covering the facade of the Dome of the Rock. They remained in Jerusalem and developed the art of Armenian ceramics.[15]
The1922 census of Palestine lists 3,210 Christians as members of Armenian churches, 271 beingArmenian Catholic (176 in Jerusalem-Jaffa, 10 in Samaria, and 85 in Northern) and 2,939 beingArmenian Apostolic (11 in Southern, 2,800 in Jerusalem-Jaffa, eight in Samaria, and 120 in Northern) along with 2,970 Armenian speakers, including 2,906 in municipal areas (2,442 in Jerusalem, 216 inJaffa, 101 inHaifa, four inGaza, 13 inNablus, one inSafad, 20 in Nazareth, 13 inRamleh, one inTiberias, 37 in Bethlehem, 25 inAcre, four inTulkarem, 21 inRamallah, six inJenin, one inBeersheba, and one inBaisan).[16]
After the1948 Arab–Israeli War and the establishment of the State of Israel, a number of Armenians residing in what had been the British Mandate of Palestine took up Israeli citizenship, whereas other Armenian residents ofOld City of Jerusalem and the territory captured byJordan received Jordanian nationality.[citation needed] Two groups of Armenians emerged: Armenians with Israeli citizenship living within the borders of the state and Armenians with Jordanian nationality in Jerusalem'sArmenian Quarter and the rest ofJordanian West Bank.
After the 1967Six-Day War, the Armenian population, especially in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, experienced a decrease in its numbers because of emigration.[citation needed] Armenians of Jerusalem were provided with Israeli resident status and some applied for citizenship. As of 2023[update], about 2,000 Armenians were residents but not citizens of Israeli-controlled territory and werestateless persons.[17]
In 1983, tensions arose within the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem, when PatriarchYeshighe Derderian replaced ArchbishopShahe Ajamian.[4] Violence erupted in June 1986, when a group of Armenian Patriarch Derderian's supporters attacked another Armenian family, which was well known for its anti-Patriarch views and as a result one man was killed and six others were injured in a street battle that church representatives dubbed "a fight between two families."[4]
As of 2023[update], the Armenian community around the Old City's Armenian Quarter has been shrinking. Activists claimed that its continued survival was threatened by a controversial land deal that could result in the loss of Armenian control over 25% of the Armenian Quarter.[17]
In 1986, it was estimated that 1,500 Armenians lived in the city of Jerusalem.[4] According to a 2006 survey, 790 Armenians lived inJerusalem's Old City.[5] In 2022, an estimate of approximately 5,000–6,000 Armenians lived across Israel and Palestine.[18][7]
There are a fewRussian-speakingJews from Armenia in Israel, but they are classified within the formerUSSRAliyah, so no precise statistics are available prior to 1991 whenArmenia restored its independence from the USSR.
The overwhelming majority of Armenians in Israel are Armenian Orthodox Christians, along with a small number of Catholics and Evangelicals. The Armenian Orthodox remain under the jurisdiction of theArmenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the residing Patriarch, in spiritual connection with theArmenian Apostolic Church (See of HolyEtchmiadzin), whereas the Armenian Catholics are under the jurisdiction of theArmenian Catholic Church and Patriarchal Vicar (residing at Via Dolorosa 41 – Fourth Station).
The Churches belonging to the Armenian Apostolic Church are among others St. Elias Church inHaifa andSaint Nicholas Church and Monastery inJaffa. Armenian-Israelis also pray inSt. James Cathedral (Surpotz Hagopyants) at the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, at theChurch of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem (under joint jurisdiction of Armenian Church with other Christian churches), the Tomb of Virgin Mary and Gethsemane, the Chapel of the Ascension on Mount of Olives, the Church of St. Gregory the Enlightener in modern Jerusalem, and theChurch of the Nativity inBethlehem (again under joint jurisdiction of the Armenian Church and other Christian churches). The Armenian Church also has the St George Monastery inRamle. Armenians in Israel andPalestine celebrateChristmas and theEpiphany on the same day, which is traditionally on January 19, while Armenian Orthodox communities in Armenia and worldwide celebrate on January 6. This is because the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem still abides by the ancientJulian calendar, whereas the Armenian Apostolic Church has adopted theGregorian calendar. Armenian Catholics, Evangelical and Brethren churches in Israel celebrate Christmas on December 25, in line with other members of theRoman Catholic and variousProtestant churches.
The Institute of African and Asian Studies at theHebrew University of Jerusalem established a chair of Armenian Studies program, specialising in study of Armenian language, literature, history and culture as well as the Armenian genocide.
 | This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(June 2017) |
Armenia maintains diplomatic relations with Israel. According to theCIA World Factbook, Armenia receives 4.8% of its imports from Israel, while Israel receives 7.1% of Armenia's exports.[19] Although both countries have diplomatic relations, neither maintains an embassy in the other country. Instead, Ambassador Ehud Moshe Eytam, the Israeli ambassador to Armenia is based inTbilisi,Georgia, and visitsYerevan twice a month. In Jerusalem Tsolag Momjian is the honorary consul.
Since Armenia's independence, Israeli politicians, rabbis, and the country's Armenian community have called on the Israeli government to recognize theArmenian genocide. Turkey has threatened to break off ties with Israel if it or the United States recognized the killings as genocide.[20] As of 2008, there has been an ongoing debate regarding recognition in theKnesset, with Turkey lobbying to prevent it.[21] A 2007 survey found that more than 70% of Israelis thought that Israel should recognize the genocide, with 44% willing to break off relations with Turkey over the issue.[22][23]
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| Historic areas of Armenian settlement | ||
| Caucasus | ||
| Former Soviet Union | ||
| Americas | ||
| Europe | ||
| Middle East | ||
| Asia | ||
| Africa | ||
| Oceania | ||
