Israel bans Mother's Day event in East Jerusalem

<p>By Abdelraouf Arnaout</p> <p>JERUSALEM (AA) – Israeli police on Thursday banned an annual event marking Mother's Day at the French Culture Center in East Jerusalem.</p> <p>According to witnesses, police detained at least one Palestinian woman outside the center.</p> <p>Organized by the Jerusalem Girls Association, Thursday’s event — intended to honor prominent Jerusalem women and showcase local handicrafts — was timed to coincide with Mother's Day, which in Palestine is commemorated on March 21.</p> <p>Israeli police, however, preempted the event, surrounding the culture center and denying entry to would-be participants.</p> <p>Gilad Erdan, Israeli public security minister, approved the decision to ban the event on the pretext that it was “sponsored and funded by the Palestinian Authority”.</p> <p>Recent years have seen the Israeli authorities impose increasingly draconian measures against Palestinian activities in occupied East Jerusalem.</p>