The project of Judaizing occupied Jerusalem is deeply interwoven and executed with complex precision. No corner of the city is left untouched by the arms of the occupation—every inch is targeted by an institution, organisation, or strategic plan in an aggressive effort to distort the reality of the occupied city, falsify its history, and manipulate its cultural, architectural, and civilizational identity. Among the most prominent tools used in this campaign are large-scale festivals organised within the city.
While Palestinian cultural events are banned and any grassroots efforts are repressed, the occupation authorities and their affiliated bodies continue to host major Judaizing festivals. These events disguise themselves under the banners of culture, arts, and cuisine. Most are concentrated in the summer season and deliberately target historical and archaeological landmarks. This article highlights several of these festivals, including the Jerusalem International Film Festival, the Festival of Lights, “Autofood,” “Shesh Besh,” and others.
Key Judaizing Festivals Organised by the Occupation
Jerusalem, both east and west, hosts numerous Israeli festivals. Below are examples of events held entirely or partially in the eastern sector of occupied Jerusalem, where occupation authorities intentionally target symbolic and sacred sites:
1. Jerusalem International Film Festival
An annual international event held in occupied Jerusalem every July. It is considered the most prominent film festival within the occupied territories. It typically opens at the historic site of Birkat al-Sultan (Sultan’s Pools) and features Israeli and foreign films screened there and in cinemas across West Jerusalem. The program includes lectures, seminars, and workshops for settler audiences, and the winning film receives the “Volgin Award,” the festival’s top honour, showcased in an open-air venue.
The 2025 edition is scheduled from 17 to 26 July. In 2024, during the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the organisers announced that over 70,000 settlers participated in the festival.
2. “Israel Festival”
One of the leading cultural festivals in the occupied territories, especially in Jerusalem. Held each spring for several weeks, most of its activities are in West Jerusalem. First launched in 1961 in occupied Caesarea, it moved to Jerusalem in 1982. It features folk dance, theatre, jazz music, plastic arts, and expert-led lectures on culture and the arts. Both Israeli and international performers participate with concerts and dance shows across multiple venues.
3. “Autofood” Festival
A summer event aimed at attracting tourists to the city’s Judaizing agenda. It takes place in the Wadi al-Rababa neighbourhood in Silwan, south of Al-Aqsa Mosque. The festival includes a food court, music stages, alcohol booths, mobile cafés, and entertainment for all ages. The occupation municipality has promoted this event for years, intending to attract thousands of settlers from within and outside Jerusalem.
4. Festival of Lights in Jerusalem
This Judaizing art festival spans both sectors of the city, with a focus on the Old City. It is considered by the occupation one of the most successful tourism attractions. During the event, the Old City is transformed into a hub of music, dance, and loud performances that distort its spiritual and historical sanctity. It is organised by official bodies including the occupation municipality, the Jerusalem Development Authority, and the Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage.
Held annually during the summer nights, the festival uses large-scale lighting, laser shows, and sound effects to project artistic shapes and light installations across Jerusalem’s ancient architecture. It also features concerts and free group tours. These displays are deeply tied to the Zionist narrative of Jerusalem and include several religious and historical sites in East Jerusalem, such as:
- The entrance area of the Western Wall (Al-Buraq Wall)
- The southern and western Umayyad Palaces near Al-Aqsa
- Damascus Gate (Bab al-‘Amud)
- The illuminated walls of the Old City
- Jaffa Gate, Omar Bin Al-Khattab Square, the Armenian Quarter, and the Christian Quarter
- Solomon’s Quarries and Jaffa Street
The festival also aligns with the Jewish “Festival of Lights” (Hanukkah), using it as an additional platform to undermine the city’s Islamic identity. Occupation authorities install massive menorahs in both parts of Jerusalem, particularly at the Western Wall and within the Old City, as well as in settler-dense neighbourhoods in East Jerusalem. Public squares and streets are decorated accordingly, reinforcing the occupation’s religious symbolism.
5. “Shesh Besh” Festival
A normalisation-oriented event imposed annually by the occupation municipality in the New Gate area, among Palestinian shops and near Jerusalem’s ancient walls. The festival features a backgammon tournament where settlers and Palestinians are encouraged to participate together, portraying settler presence as normalised. Musical performances attended by settlers typically accompany the event.
6. Alcohol Festival at the Historic Ma’man Allah Cemetery
In 2016, Palestinian sources revealed that Israeli companies, backed by the occupation municipality, planned a wine festival on the grounds of the historic Islamic cemetery of Ma’man Allah. A variety of local and international alcoholic beverages were presented alongside loud music concerts, with participation from top Israeli restaurants and bars.
Targeted Sites by These Festivals
The above information reveals that these Israeli festivals heavily target archaeological and sacred sites in occupied Jerusalem. Some are held near the walls of Al-Aqsa Mosque and over historical Islamic cemeteries. In fact, some festivals use these sacred spaces as the very stages for their activities.
For example, the Jerusalem Film Festival uses Birkat al-Sultan, a historic Islamic site, as its primary venue. The Autofood Festival takes place in Wadi al-Rababa in Silwan—an area of immense historical and religious significance near Al-Aqsa. The Festival of Lights floods the Old City and its ancient walls with Zionist symbols and disruptive performances, including:
- The Umayyad Palaces
- Damascus Gate
- Jaffa Gate
- Solomon’s Quarries
These choices are not coincidental. They align directly with broader Israeli policies aimed at asserting control over vast areas of occupied Jerusalem and distorting the identity of its authentic historical landmarks.
Such festivals serve as cultural tools of occupation, cloaking the project of Judaization under the guise of art and entertainment, as part of a long-term strategy to reshape the city’s identity—from an authentic Islamic-Arab centre into a fabricated Zionist image.
Funding Behind the Festivals
Detailed reports confirm that official Israeli institutions stand behind these festivals, including:
- The Occupation Municipality
- The Jerusalem Development Authority
- The Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage
- The Israeli Antiquities Authority
As for funding, a 2006 report by the Jerusalem Post revealed that the “Israel Festival” alone received:
- ₪2.5 million from sponsoring institutions
- ₪3.5 million from the Israeli Ministry of Culture
- Contributions from banks ranging between ₪100,000 and ₪250,000
- ₪500,000 from the occupation municipality in Jerusalem
Support extends beyond direct funding to include infrastructure development around festival locations. If the site is archaeological, these “renovations” contribute to further Judaization and encourage settler and tourist participation. For example, on 27 December 2022, the municipality announced a redevelopment plan targeting the Sultan’s Pools in collaboration with the Jerusalem Foundation, the Antiquities Authority, and the Parks and Nature Authority.
This Judaizing plan allocated ₪100 million (roughly $30 million at the time) to:
- Expand the amphitheatre’s seating to accommodate 7,000 people
- Construct a café, garden, and ecological pond
- Convert the pool area into a premier nightlife and concert venue
