Outrage over Nablus Halloween party sees Palestinian governor shut down cafe

Nablus Governor Ghassan Daghlas ordered Cafe Omsiat closed for one week after a Halloween party sparked outrage among Palestinian activists and figures. The closure was ordered to preserve public peace, and an investigative committee was formed. Dr. Ahmad Rafiq Awad called the event 'reprehensible' and contrary to Palestinian values.

Nablus Governor Ghassan Daghlas ordered the newly opened Cafe Omsiat to close for one week after controversy over its Halloween-themed event last week, according to Palestinian and Arab media reports. According to the independent Palestinian SWA News Agency, Daghlas established an investigative committee to look into the cafe and ordered its temporary closure to preserve public peace. After photos of party-goers in costumes circulated on social media, activists and prominent Palestinian figures called for punitive measures against the cafe. Ma’an News Agency published an article by Dr. Ahmad Rafiq Awad, a founding figure in Palestinian radio and television and a member of the Council of Palestinian Culture, in which he called the event 'reprehensible' and argued that it ran counter to Palestinian social and cultural values. Awad also complained that occasions such as Black Friday and Valentine’s Day were increasingly making their way into Palestinian life. He argued that the celebration highlighted a growing disconnect between the Palestinian public and the realities of the ongoing conflict. The Nablus Municipality did not respond to The Jerusalem Post’s request for comment.