Israel prevents Jerusalem National Centre from holding cultural event

The Israeli authorities prevented the Jerusalem National Centre, known as Al-Hakawati, from holding a cultural event in East Jerusalem on Sunday.

Al-Hakawati was scheduled to hold a meeting to discuss the cultural landscape in Jerusalem in the presence of the Jerusalem Press Club, the Cultural House and the Palestinian Minister of Culture, Ihab Bseiso.

Quds Press reported that members of the Israeli police and intelligence forces stormed the theatre an hour before the meeting and handed manager Amer Khalil a decision to close it down for 24 hours.

A member of the National Theatre Talal Abu-Afifeh said: “We were surprised to see the police and intelligence forces surrounding the place and delivering an order to close it down for 24 hours signed by the Israeli Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan.”

Abu-Afifeh stressed: “Jerusalem is the capital of the Palestinian state, and any Palestinian official has the right to visit Jerusalem and see its conditions.”

Erdan’s office said in a statement: “The Palestinian Authority did not contact the Israeli government for permission to hold an event in Israeli territory.”

“I will not permit any violation of Israeli sovereignty and give a foothold to the PA in Israeli territory,” Erdan said.

The decision also prevents holding the event or any similar events in Jerusalem or Israel.