In accordance with the historic Status Quo agreement, the families – Al-Joudeh and Al-Nuseibeh – entrusted the key, as they have for generations, to representatives of the three churchs: the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, the Armenian Patriarchate, and the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land.
This unique tradition, upheld since and rooted in the Covenant of Caliph Omar ibn al-Khattab, stands as a profound symbol of interfaith trust, mutual respect, and shared guardianship of the holy site. For over 850 years, the responsibility has been passed down within the two Muslim families—an enduring testament to the deep ties between Muslims and Christians in Jerusalem.
The Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine emphasized that this scene reflects the authentic identity of Jerusalem, one defined by coexistence and unity in the face of ongoing attempts to sow division and erase history. The committee further affirmed that preserving such traditions is an integral part of the broader struggle to protect the Holy City and its sacred sites from Judaization and the systematic targeting of the Palestinian religious and national identity.
The act of handing over the key carries powerful national and spiritual significance. It reaffirms that the unity of Jerusalem’s Christian and Muslim communities remains a resilient force against the occupation’s efforts to fragment the city’s historical, cultural, and religious identity.
