Security forces in Beheira banned five Israelis from entering Abu Hazirah [Jewish rabbi said to have come to and died in Egypt] tomb in Damanhour yesterday. Beheira Governor, Major General Mohamed Sharawi, said all visits to Abu Hazirah mausoleum had been cancelled for this year given the region's current situation. The opposition to the visits grew after the events in Gaza. Moreover, the governor affirmed Beheira respected the ruling handed down by the administrative court on September 9, 2001 about calling off the celebration. The governor added that some Jews had gone to the area to perform the religious rituals inside the tomb without staging any celebration. He pointed out, though, that the anger of some movements opposed to their presence – two of them also staged several demonstrations and conferences to have Jews' visits to the mausoleum cancelled – was on the rise and that the coordinator of one of these movements threatened not to let Jews out of Damanhour. Meanwhile, Dr. Adel el-Attar, coordinator of the Kefaya Movement in Beheira, called on local residents to throw stones at the Jews.
