Techno party at Muslim holy site draws condemnations from Palestinian leadership

A Saturday night dance party by Palestinians featuring alcohol and techno music in a Muslim holy site has elicited condemnations from across the Palestinian political spectrum.

Videos from the Nebi Musa mosque, close to Jericho, showed a Saturday night rave held at the scene, featuring young Palestinians and Arab Israelis dancing and drinking. A number of other Palestinians, apparently angered by what they considered to be the desecration of the site, arrived and clashed with them.

#فيديو من الحفل الذي أقيم اليلة داخل مسجد النبي موسى بمدينة اريحا…
الذين ادعو انها تصوير مادة لمؤسستهم والمسؤولة عنها مواطنة من إحدى محافظات الضفة.
تم طردهم من ذاك المقام المبارك على يد اهل الخير والنخوة من تلك المنطقة… pic.twitter.com/fMcP0d44St

— ALI Shtayeh (@alihshtayeh) December 26, 2020

Most of those present were either Arab Israelis or Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem, and the matter is being dealt on their end by Israeli police.

The partygoers told those who came to confront them that they had received permission from the Palestinian Tourism Ministry in Ramallah. PA Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh has assembled an investigative committee to look into the matter.

Nebi Musa lies largely in Area C, meaning that the Oslo Accords designate the area as under full Israeli security control.

“There were Israeli soldiers there, but the incident is being dealt with by Israel Police and Palestinian institutions,” a spokesperson for the Israeli army says.

— Aaron Boxerman