The Israeli government has been asked to take steps to prevent potentially violent clashes next month, when Yom Kippur is due to coincide with the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, also known as the Feast of the Sacrifice.
Concerns stem from the possibility that Arab business owners in mixed Jewish-Muslim cities will remain open on September 23, the day of Eid al-Adha and Yom Kippur.
The Musilm holiday is generally a source of great revenue for local Arab business owners thanks to the celebrations, but 2015 is not the first time that the two holidays have fallen on the same day.
“Last year we all respected the Jewish community; we gave up and closed our businesses and missed the most important work days of the year,” Acre resident and entrepreneur Rashid Anabatai told Ynet. “In my opinion, we need to do the opposite this time and we need to be allowed to work as usual and allow people to come visit us.”
According to Anabatai, the problem is not only a cultural one. “We can’t give up on work during the holiday. We don’t have a good income anyway,” he said. “We’re all waiting for the holiday to earn money.”
{Matzav.com Israel}
