In an interview with the Shebah news agency, the expert explained that Israel seeks to alter the cultural landscape of occupied Jerusalem and erase its Islamic and Arab identity by holding artistic, musical, and wine festivals.

Ibrahim explained that these are not simply recreational activities, but rather organized means to reshape the spatial and historical consciousness of the metropolis and consolidate the narrative of a “united Jerusalem.”

Among the most notable activities held in the eastern part of the city, he cited the Jerusalem International Film Festival, the Festival of Lights, and the Food Truck Festival, many of which take place in sites of great religious and historical significance, such as the Sultan’s Pool, the Wall, the Mamilla Cemetery, and the Silwan neighborhood.

These sites are not chosen at random, given that “the occupation is not satisfied with simply promoting its festivals, but rather strives to completely stifle Palestinian cultural life, in an attempt to create a one-sided cultural landscape that furthers its colonial objectives,” he emphasized.

Fakhri Abu Diab, also an expert on the subject, expressed a similar feeling, stating that Israel is now exploiting the current aggression against Gaza Strip to speed up its plans.

The Israeli army occupied the eastern part of the city in 1967 and has maintained control of the territory ever since, despite several UN Security Council resolutions calling for its withdrawal.

In fact, in 1980, the country’s authorities declared the entire city its eternal and indivisible capital, a position rejected by the international community.

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