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Last update - 20:10 03/04/2009
Police disperse 'Palestinian Culture Festival' events
By Jonathan Lis and Jack Khoury, Haaretz Correspondents, Haaretz Service and Reuters
Tags: Palestinian Authority 

Jerusalem Police on Saturday dispersed a number of small events staged as part of the Palestinian Culture Festival, meant to declare the city "the capital of Arabic culture for 2009."

As of Saturday afternoon, police had shut down eight events and arrested 20 people, believed to be the events' organizers.

Among the people detained were two employees of Al-Quds University, who were planning to hand out T-shirts promoting the festival. Police also prevented students from entering the university's campus.
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At a school on Nablus Road, police broke up a soccer game affiliated with the culture festival. They also dispersed a gathering of young girls at the al-Hiyala club, blocked a group of students bearing PLO flags from reaching the Temple Mount and prevented a similar event on Haroun el-Rashid road.

In the neighborhood of Ral al-Amud, police confiscated a torch, brought in from Syria, which was to have been lit at an inauguration rally at sundown, an Israeli official said.

Police also dispersed crowds on Salah al-Din Street and in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Wadi al-Joz.

Despite the confrontations, no violence or injuries were reported.

Public Security Minister Avi Dichter had instructed police to act forcefully against any attempts by the Palestinian Authority to stage events in Jerusalem or other parts of Israel.

Israel Police and Border Police increased their presence in the Old City and Arab neighborhoods of Jerusalem on Saturday in preparation for possible clashes relating to the Palestinian Culture Festival, organized by the Palestinian Authority and scheduled to take place Saturday.

Jerusalem Police announced on Friday they would prevent the so-called Palestinian Culture Festival the Palestinian Authority plans to organize in the city.

MK Mohammed Barakeh (Hadash) harshly criticized Dichter for cancelling the event in Jerusalem and Nazareth.

"The event planned for Saturday evening was initiated by the municipality of Nazareth and sponsored by the Palestinian Authority and was meant to be a cultural event," said Barakeh.

"This government is not only an enemy of any hope for peace, but also an enemy of culture and all that is humane," Barakeh added. "There is a fact that all of Israel's deluded efforts cannot change, and that is that Al-Quds [Jerusalem] will be the capital of Palestine."

The PA were planning to fly a glider plane painted in the colors of the Palestinian national flag over the walls of the Old City as part of the festival, meant to declare the city to be "the capital of Arabic culture for 2009."

The police said that they were determined to enforce the law, whereby any event organized and funded by the PA is prohibited within Jerusalem's municipal jurisdiction.

The head of the Legal Forum for the Land of Israel, Nachi Eyal, on Wednesday urged Dichter and Police Commissioner David Cohen to thwart the staging of the event.

"To the best of my understanding, this is an attempt to demonstrate Palestinian sovereignty in Jerusalem in an illegal manner," said Eyal.

"The law...obligates the Palestinian Authority to respect the sovereignty of Israel within the boundaries of the State of Israel, including East Jerusalem."

Since early Friday morning, large police forces, including Border Police, have arrived at the city and were slated to deploy to East Jerusalem and the surrounding Arab villages on Saturday.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, meanwhile, was scheduled to kick off the celebrations from his headquarters in Ramallah. Events were also due to be held in Gaza, Lebanon, Nazareth and Bethlehem.

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      1.   Part of a campaign to Erase all things Palestinian 14:13  |  Ricardo 20/03/09
      2.   Double Standard 14:13  |  JW 20/03/09
      3.   An eye for an eye 14:36  |  Just an observer 20/03/09
      4.   orwellian 14:38  |  Just an observer 20/03/09
      5.   Preventing peaceful protest always causes violent protest 14:45  |  Michael 20/03/09
      6.   palestinian culture event 14:46  |  zoe 20/03/09
      7.   why are we making a big deal of this? 15:09  |  Israeli 20/03/09
      8.   #1 I agree with you 15:25  |  Maria 20/03/09
      9.   what a dumb idea! 15:31  |  Jim 20/03/09
      10.   It is truly admirable 15:56  |  Zvi 20/03/09
      11.   Falum Gong barred from St. Patricks Day parade 16:13  |  Arnold 20/03/09
      12.   Repeat a lie often enough............. 16:30  |  sabashimon 20/03/09
      13.   You are all missing the point 16:41  |  Tidhar 20/03/09
      14.   Allow it when there`s "Jewish Culture Day" in Mecca... 16:57  |  Dr. L. Brnd 20/03/09
      15.   #11 16:58  |  Maria 20/03/09
      16.   With rights come responsibility 17:12  |  Great White North 20/03/09
      17.   #JW, there is no `Double Standard` here. The REAL difference is.. 23:41  |  JustMe 20/03/09
      18.   Israel has no sovereignty over E Jerusalem 23:56  |  Don 20/03/09
      19.   #13 Tidhar 01:41  |  Jim 21/03/09
      20.   #18 Don 02:23  |  Jim 21/03/09
      21.   Dr Brynd 10:20  |  Palestinian Brit 21/03/09
      22.   most of you people are idiots 11:29  |  matt 21/03/09
      23.   Palestinians" Red, White, Black and Green.. 13:47  |  MP 21/03/09
      24.   jerusalem-capital of arab culture 13:53  |  palestinian 21/03/09
      25.   Law of an Occupying force, is a bush law. 14:01  |  Antonio 21/03/09
      26.   For Great white north 14:07  |  Welshman 21/03/09
      27.   Well We Can`t Compare Apples And Oranges 14:20  |  Yosemite 21/03/09
      28.   #19 Jim 14:25  |  Tidhar 21/03/09
      29.   great just great 14:47  |  rm 21/03/09
      30.   Al Quds university behind the Wall..... 15:34  |  Palestinian Brit 21/03/09
      31.   Just proves what Israel would do to a Palestinian Ghandi? 15:35  |  jim the mechanic 21/03/09
      32.   Scared!!! 15:38  |  Ridha 21/03/09
      33.   Umm El Fahm 15:40  |  Penny 21/03/09
      34.   An Israeli culture festival in Ramallah? 15:40  |  Realist 21/03/09
      35.   Saudi Arabia is not relevant 15:40  |  David 21/03/09
      36.   E. Jerusalem Cannot be Denied 15:47  |  Mark 21/03/09
      37.   #26 Fair and square in war? 15:50  |  jim the mechanic 21/03/09
      38.   That`s stupid! 15:51  |  The Marshall 21/03/09
      39.   To Palestinian 15:59  |  Gili 21/03/09
      40.   Stamp out that culture! 16:19  |  Monoculturalism Is 21/03/09
      41.   East Jerusalem and Umm al-Fahm 16:22  |  PCR 21/03/09
      42.   Dear MK Mohammed Barakeh; 16:31  |  Jeff Northridge 21/03/09
      43.   Israel isn`t a Democracy, it`s an Ethnocracy. 16:32  |  willy 21/03/09
      44.   and you pretend Israel is a `democracy`... 16:41  |  samos 21/03/09
      45.   #28 tidhar--it is an illegal annexation 16:48  |  sugga babe 21/03/09
      46.   Palestinians entitled to culture festival in their homeland 16:49  |  Ivar 21/03/09
      47.   Tel Aviv vs Jerusalem 17:39  |  BazMann 21/03/09
      48.   To Ivar (# 46). By "homeland", I assume you mean Jordan. 19:52  |  flyingdoc57 21/03/09
      49.   East Jerusalem is occupied 20:01  |  Hans 21/03/09
      50.   Y R Israelis afraid of soccer games and schoolgirls? 21:05  |  peacelover 21/03/09
      51.   As I said a long time ago: The Israelis have yet to 21:06  |  Andreas 21/03/09
      52.   Arrested for wearing a T shirt... 21:11  |  Palestinian Brit 21/03/09
      53.   Flying doc 21:13  |  Palestinian Brit 21/03/09
      54.   @40 21:58  |  JW 21/03/09
      55.   To Palestinian Brit (# 51). To `whom` does Mecca belong? 22:11  |  flyingdoc57 21/03/09
      56.   Lighten Up, Please 22:30  |  Avi 21/03/09
      57.   Who are `the rest of us`? 22:47  |  Sophie Krueger 21/03/09
      58.   To flyingdoc57 @ 52 - Jerusalem 23:10  |  Sophie Krueger 21/03/09
      59.   Pal Brit - NO those T Shirts are NOT officially permitted 23:16  |  Nashville Katz 21/03/09
      60.   Suggah Babe obviously forgets NORTH AMERICA 23:18  |  Farah Faucet 21/03/09
      61.   Hans # 49 East Jerusalem & What 1948 Borders? 23:22  |  Jeff Northridge 21/03/09
      62.   The world is laughing at you Israel! 23:28  |  Maureen Ann 21/03/09
      63.   Flyindoc`s ointment 23:30  |  Ivar 21/03/09
      64.   Didn`t the Pals hear? 23:53  |  Lynn 21/03/09
      65.   Not so fast, Arabs . 00:16  |  Akiva P 22/03/09
      66.   JW, @#2 00:21  |  Akiva P 22/03/09
      67.   protest becomes a provocation 00:25  |  thinking 22/03/09
      68.   Just an observer @#3, Go ahead. Knock yourself out ! 00:25  |  Akiva P 22/03/09
      69.   To Hans 00:28  |  Deena 22/03/09
      70.   Michael @# 5 its a matter of security. 00:29  |  Akiva P 22/03/09
      71.   Even after 40 years of judaisation East Jerusalem remains Arab 00:47  |  Ben Alofs 22/03/09
      72.   Palestine 00:55  |  ted heath 22/03/09
      73.   Pal Culture ? Like terrorism ? Forget it ! 01:22  |  Wendy 22/03/09
      74.   Palestinian Brit 01:41  |  fred 22/03/09
      75.   "the capital of Arabic culture for 2009"?.Arab capital is Mecca.! 01:43  |  PETER SM 22/03/09
      76.   Even after 40 years of judaisation East Jerusalem remains Arab 02:15  |  Ben Alofs 22/03/09
      77.   #34 Realist`s "Israeli culture festival in Ramallah" 02:18  |  hala 22/03/09
      78.   No "Jewish Culture Day" in Mecca??????? 02:25  |  Jane 22/03/09
      79.   European Christian 03:42  |  pam 22/03/09
      80.   Palestinian culture festival yes.Arabic culture no 04:05  |  Richard 22/03/09
      81.   Sabashimon. usa 04:10  |  shoshanna 22/03/09
      82.   Los Angeles is much more Mexican 04:53  |  utagawa 22/03/09
      83.   Jane regarding Jews in Saudi Arabia 04:58  |  ELIAS KHOURY 22/03/09
      84.   Those who believe "might makes right" 05:04  |  MariaM 22/03/09
      85.   #24 paalestinian 05:18  |  leoblue 22/03/09
      86.   B.ALOFS."Remains Arab" Not the unique group called "Palestinian"? 06:12  |  PETER SM 22/03/09
      87.   Jerusalem`s Majority religion has been Judaism since early 1800`s 06:24  |  Jabadini 22/03/09
      88.   Lanuage and culture. 06:55  |  Maureen Ann 22/03/09
      89.   Our culture dates back before yours #55 Hala ... 07:20  |  Nashville Katz 22/03/09
      90.   Flying doc 07:33  |  Palestinian Brit 22/03/09
      91.   Richard - a little mixed up? 07:37  |  Palestinian Brit 22/03/09
      92.   jerusalem #24 08:00  |  lola 22/03/09
      93.   MAUREEN language and culture 08:12  |  PETER SM 22/03/09
      94.   no power can stop freedom 08:56  |  just facts 22/03/09
      95.   HERE"S WHAT THE PALESTINIANS SHOULD HAVE DONE... 17:04  |  abram 11/06/09
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