Planned Jewish New Year celebrations in Thailand canceled following anti-Israel protest
A mass dinner intended to commemorate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, on the tourist island of Phuket in Thailand has been cancelled after a pro-Palestinian protest nearby.
The cancellation came at the request of so-called Israeli security officials, who cited concerns that local protests against the event could turn violent and lead to confrontations.
The decision came after some 500 Thais staged a pro-Palestinian demonstration near the so-called Chabad House for several hours on Friday, with signs seen reading “SAVE PHUKET NO ISRAEL” and chants like “Free Palestine.”
The local Chabad House that was organizing the event said in a statement on Friday that “due to a request from Israeli security officials, we deeply regret that we are canceling the event. Please do not approach the area.”
“The protesters could become violent, and it is dangerous,” the message sent to those who registered for the holiday dinner claimed.
Organizers of the Rosh Hashanah event in Phuket initially said they would scale back the number of guests from 1,000 to 800 and end at 9 p.m. local time (1400 GMT) to ease security concerns, but eventually called it off.
The anti-Israel demonstration came after several days of protests against Israelis on the island, as well as in the Thai capital city of Bangkok.
On Thursday, numerous Thais gathered in protest against Israeli tourists outside the Israeli embassy in Bangkok.
The assembly was led by 78-year-old anti-American and conservative nationalist activist Sondhi Limthongkul, who presented a letter to Israeli ambassador Alona Fisher-Kamm, warning that Chabad centers were acquiring Thai land to “promote the goals orchestrated and financed by global Zionist networks.”
Subsequently, he journeyed to Phuket to lead the Friday protests.
Last week, an Israeli was deported from Thailand after being found guilty of making threats against the proprietor of a zoo located on the resort island of Koh Samui, which had displayed a Palestinian flag.
Thailand’s economy is heavily dependent on tourism, but Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow reiterated that the Southeast Asian nation could not “stand idly by” if tourists act detrimentally against Thailand or Thais.