JERUSALEM (AFP) - Angry Arab protesters mobbed Patriarch Irenaios during a religious procession in Jerusalem’s Old City yesterday, enraged over the alleged sale of politically sensitive land in the holy city to Jewish investors.

As hundreds of Christian pilgrims flocked to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for Orthodox Palm Sunday, scores of Arab Christians joined the crowds, booing and crying, “Shame on you” as Irenaios left the basilica.

Shouting angrily in Arabic and Greek, they waved posters denouncing Irenaios. Surrounded by scores of Israeli riot police, the 65-year-old patriarch waved feebly as scores of protesters tried to push toward him, one of whom lobbed a bottle of water at him.

Scuffles broke out between the protesters and several visiting Greek pilgrims carrying Greek flags, who tried to tear down the posters and stop the demonstration.