JERUSALEM, Monday, January 21, 2019 (WAFA) – Israeli police raided on Monday Makassed Hospital Events Hall on Mount of Olives in occupied East Jerusalem and prevented the administration from holding an event marking 50 years for its establishment, according to witnesses.

Makassed, the biggest Palestinian hospital in Jerusalem, had invited Palestinian Minister of Health Jawad Awwad, Minister of Jerusalem Affairs in the Palestinian Authority, Adnan Husseini, and Jerusalem governor, Adnan Ghaith, along with other Palestinian officials and guests to attend the event that also included the inauguration of new hospital wards.

Israeli police raided the events hall, located across from the hospital, before the start of the celebrations and posted a notice on the door ordering closure of the hall and banning any activity there under the pretext the event was held under the auspices of the Palestinian Authority.

As a result and in a defiant move, the hospital and its guests decided to hold the event outdoors.

Police again raided and crushed the event with force and arrested several people, according to the witnesses.

The inauguration of the new wards, nevertheless, went as scheduled, they said.

M.K.