(Editor’s note: I had to make a few ‘minor’ revisions to my original story.)
Israeli Palestinian Authority police arrested six Jews Muslims in Jerusalem Nablus and Jericho for publicly eating on the fast of Tisha B’Av Ramadan.
One Jew Muslim was sentenced to one month in prison by Israeli courts the PA.
Breaking religious fasts are prohibited in Israel many Arab and Muslim countries, with legal penalties varying from fines to short prison terms. According to Israeli law article 274 of the Palestinian penal code, citizens who violate Tisha B’Av Ramadan by eating in public risk up to one month in prison or a fine of the equivalent of $21.
In addition, Israeli religious authorities Chairman of the PA Supreme Court for Shari’ah Law said Israeli PA law should prohibit even non-Jews non-Muslims and those who cannot fast for health reasons from eating in public during the month. Israel’s Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger Sheikh Yusuf Ida’is explained: “Our streets are Jewish Islamic,” and formal legislation should be enacted to “severely punish” anyone who eats publicly during Tisha B’Av or Yom Kippur Ramadan.
Rabbi Metzger Sheikh Yusuf Ida’is told Israeli Palestinian TV that Tisha B’Av Ramadan offenders should be jailed as a warning to others.
“I call upon others to be considerate of Jews’ Muslims’ feelings,” Metzger Ida’is added, asking non-Jewish non-Muslim Israelis Palestinians to refrain from eating in public on the holiday as well.
The Guardian devoted considerable coverage to ignored the Israeli Palestinians’ egregious violation of religious freedom.
Several human rights NGOs announced that they will issue a special report turn a blind eye to such anti-democratic and illiberal laws in Israel the Palestinian Authority.
