A mass Iftar break-fast meal that took place Saturday evening in a village near Hebron is causing strife within Palestinian militant groups. Attended by dozens of dignitaries and businessmen from the region alongside Israel Defense Forces officers from the Civil Administration, various Palestinian terrorist organizations called it a "stab in the back of the resistance" and are convinced that any interaction with Israelis should be forbidden for Arab communities within the Palestinian Authority.
In the social media posts from the meal that was published on various different networks, the head of the Coordination and Liaison Directorate in Hebron, Lt. Colonel Salim Said, an Arab-Israeli, is seen together with other IDF officers alongside Arab businessmen from Hebron, some of whom have close ties to the Palestinian Authority.
Hebron- A group of Palestinian businessmen, and clan chiefs in town of Ad-dahriyya have a joint iftar party with military occupation officers from the civil administration branch this evening.
— Younis | يونس (@ytirawi) April 1, 2023
“Mutual benefits”. Want their names & titles? He deleted the tiktok video short after. pic.twitter.com/RtzE1pBBQz
Some loud Arab voices in the Palestinian Authority condemned the invitation of the Israeli officers to the meal, and as mentioned, the terrorist organizations released official condemnations on the subject. "The iftar dinner organized yesterday by some individuals in Hebron, in the presence of IDF Civil Administration officers, is an unacceptable normalization and contradicts the values of our people in boycotting Israel, fighting against it, and dealing with the policy of their terrorism," Hamas said in a statement released early Sunday.
"This meeting deviates from the norms, at the same time that the Israeli government oppresses our people and the settler groups have escalated their blatant aggression against the holy places, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque," added the internationally recognized terrorist organization, Hamas. "This behavior is a betrayal of the commandments of the martyrs, which call for an escalation in resistance and to hold on to arms."
The Muslim soldiers of the @IDF
— Noor Dahri - نور ڈاہری 🇬🇧 (@dahrinoor2) May 7, 2021
deployed on the border with Syria having Iftar in the month of #Ramadan & the Jewish #IDF officers help their Muslim companions with a meal #الافطار .
This is normal life of #Muslims & #Jews together in #Israel which mainstream media wouldn’t show. pic.twitter.com/0gP1LHvip4
The Islamic Jihad also attacked the peaceful Ramadan feast: "We condemn the iftar dinner of the businessmen from Hebron with officers from the Civil Administration. These unacceptable acts come in the shadow of Israel's crimes and the ongoing terrorism against our people. This is a stab in the back of the brave resistance that faces Israel and rejects aggression."
Unlike what many media outlets and terrorist organizations present about Jewish-Arab relations in Israel, the presence of Israeli officials at an Iftar meal during Ramadan, or really any other occasion, is nothing short of a normal occurrence. Three years ago, during Ramadan in the city of Hebron, the religious Zionist activist and head of the Samaria Council, Yossi Dagan, attended an Iftar meal with many local businessmen; their goal was to find an alternative to peace that excludes the corrupt Palestinian Authority. Dagan said during his speech at the event that "we have different opinions, but I know that good news will come out of this for both Jews and Arabs. If we work hard we can create another path to understanding and mutual respect.”
Respecting our Muslim hosts and friends I attended tonight#iftar ☪️ dinner orgenized by the #Muslim council of #Albania with HE President @BajramBegajAL.#RamadanMubarak #رمضان_المبارك pic.twitter.com/fTA3zy7H4H
— Galit Peleg (@GalitPeleg) March 23, 2023
Arabs and Jews share many events together. It is not uncommon to see Palestinians at a public Passover seder, or at Jewish New Year meals while aside from the nightly Iftar meals, Israeli officials, citizens and diplomats are often spotted at Muslim celebrations like the upcoming Eid Al Fitr which this year, begins on the evening of Friday, April 21st.
