Israel has canceled a cultural festival at a French-protected site in East Jerusalem, claiming it was sponsored by the Palestinian Authority without Israeli permission, which organizers denied Wednesday.
The scheduled three-day festival at the Abraham's House for religious pilgrims, with performances by Palestinian arts groups, was supported by the United Nations Development Program, Finland and Austria.
Abraham's House manager Bernard Thibaud said that performances had already begun for children on Tuesday when police arrived and shut it down, adding that he was "shocked and ashamed" by the cancelation.
The French consul general in Jerusalem as well as the consulate's religious affairs advisor had also already visited the festival, diplomatic sources said.
In the cancellation order, Public Security Minister Omer Barlev wrote the event was being held "with sponsorship and funding of the Palestinian Authority, and this is without written permission".
Abraham's House is managed by a religious charity, Secours Catholique-Caritas France. It is under the protection of the French Consulate in Jerusalem, similar to the Church of Sainte-Anne in the Old City, which President Emmanuel Macron visited last year.
"The purpose is to bring a little joy and leisure to kids and adults of these surroundings who are experiencing lots of poverty and violence," Thibaud said. "Having the police stop these cultural events is just bringing more violence to the district."
The festival was organized by the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music, El-Hakawati Palestinian National Theater and the Qafilah mobile theatre in Jerusalem.
Asked if the PA supported his organization or the festival, conservatory director-general Suhail Khoury told AFP, "no, not at all".
Amer Khalil, director of el-Hakawati, also told AFP the PA was "not at all" supporting his group or the festival, adding that it was a UNDP program.
Imad Mitwalli, director of Qafilah, said his organization "never ever" received money from the PA.
Barlev did not immediately reply to AFP questions.
Israel prohibits official Palestinian activity in East Jerusalem, captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War in a move not recognized by most of the international community, where Palestinians hope to establish the capital of their future state.