Property Rights and National Identities in Jerusalem – The Case of the Armenian Quarter : A Talk with Sami Ershied

How does a case of property ownership become a case of minority identity? What are the unique legal aspects of property cases in Jerusalem? What can we learn from the the current legal battles to protect property in Jerusalem’s Armenian Quarter? The Legal Status of property possession and ownership in Jerusalem derives from the unique legal status of the city in international and domestic Law and the ways it is affected by historic and political changes. One of the most ancient national-religious groups in Jerusalem is the Christian Armenian Community in the Old City.
In the last four years, Sami Ershied has represented this small community in its legal struggle to protect their property in the Armenian Quarter.

Dr. Adv. Sami Ershied, is a Jerusalem-based lawyer, who specializes in Public Law, Human Rights Law, Property and Financial Law. His practical work focuses on the representation of communities under the risk of Displacement. Among the cases that he handles, he has represented the community of Sheikh Jarrah during the past 15 years to prevent the eviction of the community members from their homes. He has also presented numerous cases before the Israeli supreme court for the property protection of minority communities in Jerusalem.
He holds an LLB from the Hebrew University, an LLM from the University of Sussex in England and a PhD from the Hebrew University.
In addition, Dr. Ershied advises planning bodies, local and central authorities. He also lectures at the Law Faculty and the Business Administration School of the Hebrew University, focusing on Transitional Justice, Development and Finance.