Outrage after DJ Party Held at Nabi Musa Mosque in Palestine

A Saturday night disco party by Palestinians at the Nabi Musa mosque has elicited condemnation from across the Palestinian political spectrum.

Videos from the Nabi Musa mosque showed a rave held at the scene, featuring young Palestinians and Arab Israelis dancing and drinking.

#شاهد.. فيديو متداول للحفلة الصاخبة التي جرت مساء اليوم في مقام النبي موسى شرق القدس المحتلة. pic.twitter.com/EZ28NFTnif

— Shady Sopoh (@shadysoboh) December 26, 2020

The prominent Palestinian disc jockey (DJ), Sama Abd al-Hadi, led the festivities.

The festivities seemed to have alcohol and men and women dancing together at the Muslim holy site.

Drinking alcohol is forbidden in Islam, and free mixed dancing is also controversial in many parts of conservative Palestinian society.

Several other Palestinians, angered by the site’s desecration, arrived and confronted the partygoers.

The ravers told the newcomers that they had obtained permission from the Palestinian Authority (PA) Tourism Ministry in Ramallah to hold the event.

Nabi Musa lies mainly in Area C, meaning that the Oslo Accords designates the area under full Israeli security and civil control.

The Israeli security forces arrived at the scene during the night when the confrontation occurred.

According to a spokesperson for the Israeli army, the Israel Police and Palestinian institutions are currently dealing with the incident.

The PA Prime Minister, Mohammad Shtayyeh, has assembled an investigative committee to look into the incident.

Blame Game.

In the aftermath of the incident, the PA ministries have engaged in a blame game to avoid the public’s wrath from the holy site’s desecration.

The Tourism Ministry blamed the Religious Affairs Ministry, which has rejected any knowledge of plans to hold a rave at the site.

Officials from Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip and opposes the PA, criticized their political rivals for allegedly allowing the event to occur.

However, the PA police are rarely permitted by Israel to enforce their laws in Area C.

Aftermath.

On Sunday afternoon, several Palestinians went to the site to pray.

Videos posted on social media showed the worshippers hurling the previous night’s party’s remnants from the sanctuary walls before setting them on fire.

#صور..احراق الأثاث الفندقي عقب إخراجه من مقام النبي موسى شرق القدس المحتلة. pic.twitter.com/xAI0LBQOzp

— المركز الفلسطيني للإعلام (@PalinfoAr) December 27, 2020

DJ Abd al-Hadi was later arrested on Sunday night by the PA police.

The site of Nabi Musa Mosque.

The Nabi Musa Mosque — named after Prophet Musa (PBUH) — is a prominent West Bank pilgrimage site.

Each year in spring, Palestinians travel by foot to the mosque, situated between Jerusalem and Jericho.

According to some Islamic sects, Prophet Musa (PBUH) is buried under the site.

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