Gilad Erdan
Gilad ErdanRoy Alima/Flash 90

Public Security and Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan on Friday signed an order to prevent the convening of a conference under the title "Jerusalem the capital of Palestine", which was scheduled to take place in the Old City of Jerusalem under the auspices and funding of the Palestinian Authority (PA).

The event was supposed to include Palestinian Arab national songs and songs of praise to the PA, the handing out of PA certificates and recognitions, and was to have been attended by PA activists.

The order of Minister Erdan instructs that the activities not be held in Jerusalem, in accordance with section 3 (a) of the Implementation of the Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (Restriction of Activity) Law, 5755-1994, which prohibits the Palestinian Authority from opening or operating a representation, holding a meeting or activity within the borders of the State of Israel, and authorizes the Minister of Public Security to issue an order prohibiting such activity.

Erdan's office noted that in recent years, Minister Erdan has adopted a broad prevention policy against events financed or attended by members of the Palestinian Authority in the sovereign territory of the State of Israel.

Among other things, Minister Erdan is initiating an amendment to the legislation that will allow indictments to be filed and the court to be asked to sentence organizers of such events that violate Israel's sovereignty to up to three years in prison. In the past year, the minister extended the order to close the Orient House and other Palestinian Authority institutions in eastern Jerusalem, issued closing orders for a commemorative event in eastern Jerusalem funded by the Palestinian Authority, for a conference in Silwan that promoted a Palestinian takeover of eastern Jerusalem and other events sponsored and financed by Palestinians planned to take place in Jerusalem.

"The Palestinian Authority continues to try to harm Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem and to incite against the State of Israel. I will not allow this and I will continue to act to prevent any violation of Israeli sovereignty in all parts of our capital, Jerusalem," Erdan said on Friday.

(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)