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View of the Israeli border with Egypt, in southern Israel, on January 12, 2025. Photo by Yaniv Nadav/Flash90
The local Hebrew-version of the i24 news site reported on Monday evening that the Israel Police are denying a permit for a Purim party organized by the same producers of the Nova Festival, which took place near Kibbutz Re’im on the Gaza border on Oct. 6-7, 2023.
The Purim party was scheduled to take place this weekend near Shivta, in the Negev Desert, about 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the Egyptian border. Lt.-Col. Ronen Amaram, commander of the Segev Shalom police station, sent a letter to the producers denying the permit. He justified the decision by citing the recent entry of Egyptian tank and artillery units into the nearby Sinai Desert.
Additional security concerns included the Ramadan season, the unclear status of the Gaza ceasefire, and the requirement for advance approval from Israel Defense Forces. Meanwhile, the producers of the party have filed a petition in the Beersheva Court to allow the party to proceed despite the police denial.
According to the organizers, 10 survivors of the Nova Festival massacre on Oct. 7, 2023, who had been abducted into Gaza, were expected to attend the Purim party. They would be joined by hundreds of other survivors and family members of the victims.
The denial of the party permit underscores a largely overlooked issue: the buildup of Egyptian forces in the Sinai Peninsula, a direct violation of the 1979 Camp David Peace Accords, which restricts military presence in the region.
Although the Egyptian government has repeatedly assured Israel that the buildup of tanks and heavy artillery is intended to combat ISIS and other terror groups that established themselves in the rugged Sinai territory after the Arab Spring in 2011, Israeli military analysts remain skeptical. They argue that such large amounts of heavy artillery are not suitable for fighting terror groups in this type of terrain.
While several IDF commanders recently moved to reassure the Israeli public that the buildup of forces does not pose a direct threat to Israel, the police denial indicates that not all authorities are convinced.
In early January, Israeli officials requested an explanation from Egypt for the significant increase in military units in the Sinai.
Israeli officials, such as the newly-appointed ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, accused Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi of violating the U.S.-brokered peace deal between Israel and Egypt.
Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon also warned about the buildup, questioning the need for Egypt’s extensive military purchases.
“They spend hundreds of millions of dollars on modern military equipment every year, yet they have no threats on their borders,” Danon said in a recent interview.
So far, the court has not issued a decision on the request to proceed with the party despite the police objection.
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