Police said the two were arrested after they refused to leave an illegal meeting held in East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood and attempted to attack police officers.
A spokesman for the northern branch of the Islamic Movement called the arrest “unacceptable,” adding that “Salah’s detention was made as part of the process of strengthening [Jewish control] of Jerusalem.”
“No one broke the law here,” he continued. “There was simply an intention of forming a popular committee for dealing with all matters relating to the Palestinian Culture Festival, meant to declare the city ‘the capital of Arabic culture for 2009.’”
On Saturday, police dispersed several small events scheduled for the Palestinian Culture Festival.
The Palestinian Authority had organized the events, and activities were to be held in Jerusalem and Nazareth, as well as Gaza, Lebanon and Bethlehem. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was scheduled to kick off the celebrations from his headquarters in Ramallah.
The law prohibits the Palestinian Authority from staging any events in the Jerusalem municipality.
As of Saturday afternoon, police had shut down eight events and arrested 20 people who were believed to be the organizers.
Public Security Minister Avi Dichter has instructed police to act forcefully against any Palestinian Authority attempts to stage events in Jerusalem or other parts of Israel, and Israel Police and Border Police have increased their presence in the Old City and Arab neighborhoods of Jerusalem.
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