Ben Gvir Blocks Palestinian Attendance at East Jerusalem Hospital Event Despite Emirati Pressure

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir refused to retract his order banning Palestinian Authority officials from attending a ceremony inaugurating a maternity ward at Al-Makassed Hospital in East Jerusalem. The police and Shin Bet intelligence had requested the ban due to the planned attendance of senior Palestinian Authority figures. After Ben Gvir signed the order, Prime Minister Netanyahu's office contacted senior police officials, urging them to allow the event to proceed because prominent Emirati diplomats, including the UAE ambassador to Israel, were expected to attend. The Prime Minister's office feared a diplomatic crisis if police were seen discriminating between Palestinian and Emirati attendees or forcibly dispersing the crowd.

Despite this pressure, Ben Gvir instructed the police to cancel the event if Palestinian Authority members were present. The police informed the hospital that the event would not proceed if Palestinians attended, leading to the cancellation of their participation. Subsequently, a senior advisor to the Emirati ambassador contacted Ben Gvir, requesting the event be allowed to continue. Ben Gvir agreed on the condition that no Palestinian Authority representatives would attend. The event went ahead with only Emirati diplomats present, and Palestinian invitees were officially told their invitations were revoked.

In related developments, a senior advisor to Netanyahu resigned. Supporters of Ben Gvir emphasized that terrorist elements from the Palestine Liberation Organization have no place in Jerusalem. They hailed the event as an example of asserting sovereignty and strength without damaging Israel's relations with friendly countries like the UAE.