Jerusalem theatre stormed by Israeli forces

Israeli forces storm occupied Jerusalem children’s theatre

Israeli security forces have stormed the Hakawati Theatre in occupied Jerusalem, terrifying the audience of Palestinian kids gathered for a performance of the children’s musical play “Dreams Under the Olive Tree”.

The raid was ordered by Israel’s fascist security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who claimed the event was connected to the Palestinian Authority and did not have the permit he considered it needed. Quite why not having a permit would require security forces to storm a theatre is unclear.

Zionists storm Jerusalem theatre

For their part, the Palestinian Authority condemned the raid as a “blatant violation of international law” and a “systematic policy aimed at silencing the Palestinian narrative and erasing the city’s Arab identity”, with Palestinian culture minister Imad Hamdan adding that:

El-Hakawati Theater is a historic and national space embodying the collective memory of Jerusalem and reflecting the resilience of Palestinian artists in the face of Judaisation attempts and land expropriation.

The theatre has operated in East Jerusalem since the 1970s, independent of any authorities and with no funding except what it raises itself. It has been under legislative assault from the occupation regime for the past sixteen years, suffering repeated forced closures.

Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Mosab Abu Toha, who posted video of the raid and its aftermath, declared it:

an act of terrorism.

Abu Toha summarised the footage content as follows:

Video 1: “Did you hear what I’m saying? 5 minutes, there’s no one here!” The police dispersed a children’s performance at the Al-Hakawati Theater in East Jerusalem. The police see no need to explain or respond (the response: “Israel Police operates according to the law”):