Israel wrecks Palestinian wedding

The Israeli Civil Administration has prevented a Palestinian couple who currently live in Germany from holding their wedding ceremony in the West Bank because the girl is originally from Gaza Strip.

Israeli Haaretz newspaper reported on Sunday that the Israeli Civil Administration has rejected a request filed by Ala Abu- Nada, a Palestinian young woman who currently lives in Germany to enter the West Bank to celebrate her wedding ceremony with her fiancé, Omar Mohsen under the pretext that she is registered as a resident of Gaza Strip.

According to the newspaper, Abu- Nada left Gaza 14 years ago for Germany and has lived there ever since where she met Mohsen, a young Palestinian from the city of Hebron South of West Bank.

The newspaper said the young woman’s family’s request to cross from Gaza to the West Bank to attend the ceremony was also denied.

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Omar’s father, Nidal Mohsen, told Haaretz “my son studies in Germany. He only wants for his fiancée and her family to enter into the West Bank, so the two families can meet and celebrate the wedding and then return to Germany”.

Ala and Omar’s wedding was due to take place on April 6, but the Israeli authorities refusal delayed it until an unspecified date.

Osnat Cohen-Lifshitz, director of the legal department at Gisha, an Israeli human rights group which works to protect the Palestinians freedom of movement said the criteria set by the Israeli authorities to allow a family from Gaza to reach the West Bank are fulfilled. The wedding of a first degree relative falls within these criteria”.