Police bar east Jerusalem memorial event for Palestinian poet

By ETGAR LEFKOVITS
Jerusalem police on Thursday barred an east Jerusalem gathering in memory of the late Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish which was organized by the Palestinian Authority, police said. The event, which was slated to be held at an east Jerusalem school, was banned on order of Public Security Minister Avi Dichter, Jerusalem police spokesman Asi Aharoni said. The dozens of participants at the event dispersed without incident. According to the Oslo Accords, Palestinian political activity is forbidden in Jerusalem. The Palestinian cultural icon died earlier this month in a US hospital. He was buried in Ramallah.