Deputy Mayor of Yerushalayim, Aryeh King, expressed deep distress in an interview with Arutz Sheva–Israel National News regarding a disturbing development at the kever of the neviim Chaggai and Malachi, located on Har Hazeisim.
King began by explaining that this holy site isn’t well-known to the general public, though many visitors to Har Hazeisim pass by it. The kever is situated underneath the scenic overlook near the Seven Arches Hotel, nestled between the lookout and the military cemetery.
“There’s a sign at the entrance indicating that the site is under the supervision of the Ministry of Religious Affairs,” he shared. “The area is heavily wooded, so it’s easily noticeable from a distance as a green patch on the hillside.” Although he hadn’t visited recently, King said he used to frequent the site often since it’s close to his home. “Many people pass by it on the way down from Har Hazeisim to the Emek Yehoshafat, the Ir Dovid, and ultimately the Kosel.”
He described the site as a significant underground chamber. “You descend about five to seven meters through a staircase, and what you find is a burial cave that resembles those of the Sanhedrin or Shimon Hatzaddik in northern Yerushalayim,” King explained. Tradition tells us that this is the resting place of Chaggai and Malachi, and he emphasized that “when the Law for the Protection of Holy Sites was established, this kever was among the initial hundred places listed. Since then, the number of sites has grown, but this one still retains its status and is meant to be protected by the Ministry of Religious Affairs.”
He then described a deeply troubling report he received: “A visitor was there on Tishah B’Av and sent me a video showing that the site was locked. Even worse, he took footage of the entrance, and what I saw made me shudder. A metal railing had been installed on the stairs, and on it were tzelavim—Christian crosses. This is a blatant chilul makom kadosh.”
When asked who was responsible for installing the railing, King pointed to the White Russian Church (the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad), distinguishing it from the Red Russian Church (the mainstream Russian Orthodox). “Let’s be clear,” he said. “While this is a sacred place for Am Yisroel, it was, unfortunately, registered under church ownership during the Turkish period, as was the case with other sites like the kever of Chuldah Hanaviah nearby. So yes, it’s their private property legally, but that doesn’t exempt them from obeying the laws that govern religious sites.”
Quoting the law that was enacted during the early years of the State, King cited: “The statute signed by Zerach Warhaftig, Prime Minister Levi Eshkol, and President Zalman Shazar says clearly: ‘Holy sites are to be protected from desecration. Anyone who desecrates or damages a holy site faces up to seven years in prison. Preventing access to a holy site carries a five-year sentence. The Minister of Religious Affairs is responsible for enforcement.’”
“I immediately forwarded the photos and footage to the relevant authorities,” he continued. “That includes the Minister of Religious Affairs, who is now Justice Minister Yariv Levin. They acknowledged receiving it, but haven’t clarified their plans. Yehuda Avidan, Director General of the Religious Affairs Ministry, told me he’s dealing with it, and I have a lot of faith in him. I also reached out to the Cemetery Council under Tzuriel Krispel, who is trustworthy as well.” King also contacted the Minister of Heritage, Amichay Eliyahu, because of the moreshet Yisroel angle, as well as the Ministry of Jerusalem Affairs. “They were all taken aback,” he said. “They hadn’t heard about this, and that’s exactly why the public must know. This is not just a concern for the mishtaknei Har Hazeisim.”
In light of this shocking footage, King was asked whether it’s possible the site had been in this state for some time without public knowledge. He admitted that while it could be, it’s hard to believe no one would have spoken up until now.
Could it be that government officials are hesitant to challenge the church? “That’s certainly a possibility,” he acknowledged. “But the law is the law. There’s no license for the church to lock up or defile the place. Even Shazar and Eshkol—who weren’t shomrei Torah u’mitzvos—understood that this is a matter of basic Jewish identity. The church, as guests in Eretz Yisroel, should show respect for our makomos hakedoshim, just as they expect their heritage to be honored.”
King ended by stating, “I am confident that the ministers involved grasp the seriousness of this situation, and I expect an immediate and forceful response.” He added that even if church representatives are protected by diplomatic immunity, “there are still plenty of tools at the state’s disposal to address this.”
It’s worth noting that when King himself visited the site on Wednesday, it was open to the public.
Why doesn’t Israel use “eminent domain” to seize the property for public use. Every self respecting country uses eminent domain laws in circumstances just like this. If the church refuses to accept payment from the government for the fair value of the seized property then the money should be kept in an interest bearing account until they decide to accept it, or it can just sit there forever. It is ridiculous how much prime real estate the church owns in Israel. They don’t pay taxes on it and just withhold it from public use or development. When they do agree to “lease” it out, it is quickly developed and then when the lease expires, the church extorts insane amounts of money to extend the lease. It’s not like the Orthodox Church has been a friend of Israel. They Russian people are mostly anti-Israel, so why are is Israel afraid of treating them like they are—- a greedy foreign entity which hoards property and prevents the citizens of the country from accessing their homeland.