Only a trickle a Jewish festival in Egypt under tight
security, Egyptian security sources said Monday but the
crowds seen in other years stayed away in the face of
festering Middle East tension.
Anti-Israeli and anti-Jewish sentiment has been rife in some
Arab countries including Egypt since the outbreak of Israeli-
Palestinian clashes in the West Bank and Gaza Strip more
than three months ago.
The annual festival of Abu Chatzeirah -- when pilgrims from
all over the world traditionally flock to the tomb of the
19th century holy man in northern Egypt -- was unusually
quiet this year in contrast with scenes of thousands of
worshipers common in the past, the sources said.
Instead of staying for the traditional eight days, the few
worshipers who made the journey to the Nile Delta village
arrived on Sunday and left within 24 hours, according to
Reuters. Some reports said that only three pilgrims made the
trip. According to the Israeli Embassy in Cairo, the full-
fledged festival itself was cancelled after a group of
Israelis were not granted Egyptian visas.
A flight carrying 70 rabbis, due to arrive at the airport in
Alexandria on Monday was called off at the last minute,
security sources said.
In past years, thousands of Jews visited the tomb of Abu
Chatzeirah, a Moroccan Jew who lived and died in the village
of Demito in the delta province of Damanhour, some 50
kilometers (30 miles) southeast of Alexandria.
