The Israeli-controlled Jerusalem municipality has announced that it is going to hold a wine festival on part of the historic Ma’manillah Muslim Cemetery adjacent to Al-Aqsa Mosque, a Fatah official said on Tuesday. Speaking to Quds Press, Ra’fat Olyan described the proposed festival as a “clear religious provocation.”
He accused the Israeli occupation authorities of using all illegal means to drag the region into open violence. “Such Israeli violations cross the red lines,” he added.
According to the Israelis in occupied Jerusalem, the festival will be held on 26 and 27 August in cooperation with major wine companies. It will be accompanied by dancing on the land where some of the Companions of Prophet Muhammad and other Muslims are buried.
“In doing this,” said Olyan, “the Israeli occupation authorities are ignoring all international laws and conventions relating to heritage and religious and historical sites.”
Such actions, he noted, confirm the belief that the war being carried out by the extremist right-wing occupation government is religious, not political.