Ramallah: In a move that intends to incite Palestinian anger, the Israeli occupation municipality in Jerusalem intends to hold an alcohol festival at the gravesite of Occupied Jerusalem’s most prominent and historic Muslim cemetery.
The iTravelJerusalem-Beer Festival 2015 will be held at the Ma’amanallah Cemetery in occupied East Jerusalem on August 26 and 27.
The gravesite contains the remains of figures from the early Islamic period and the remains of the followers of Salah Al Deen Al Ayoubi, who liberated Jerusalem from European Crusaders in the 12th century.
Today the cemetery is an internationally recognised heritage site and also a Muslim Waqf (religious endowment) registered as a Muslim cemetery in Istanbul.
The festival is an intentional provocation to enflame Palestinian anger, according to Fakhri Abu Diyab, head of the Palestinian local committee in defense of Jerusalem.
Any type of festive celebration at a cemetery is disrespectful and inflammatory, let alone festival styled around an alcohol theme. In Islam, consuming alcohol is forbidden.
Civil society groups have sent numerous official letters to relevant ambassadors, including the Turkish ambassador, with attached documents proving the cemetery is undisputedly Muslim property.
The Turkish ambassador has promised to take the issue up at the highest level.
