suicide bombers killed eight people in the previous two days.
In a statement, the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) said it would continue to organize its own event coinciding with Sukkot, despite the attacks.
"With the outbreak of violence only weeks before Sukkot in 2000, some were fearful of an empty audience attending the opening night of the Feast. However, for the last two years the ICEJ has been pleased to open the Feast with a full house."
The estimated 2,000 participants are rewarded with nightly concerts and speakers, including possibly the Prime Minister as well as lectures and seminars each day and a desert celebration aside the Dead Sea, the ICEJ said.
TEMPORARY STRUCTURES
Sukkot is the Hebrew word for the booths, or tabernacles, that observant Jews around the world eat, and sometimes sleep in, for a week.
"The temporary nature of the structures, complete with roofs of palm branches, signifies both the time the Children of Israel spent wandering in the desert after their exodus from Egypt. They also are reminders that security is not found in dwellings or material items but in God," the ICEJ explained.
The Feast of Tabernacles has been the flagship event of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem since its inception in 1980. Celebrations were planned to start at sunset Saturday, September 21, while in the region Israeli army soldiers were expected to step up security and what officials described as anti- terror efforts.
ARAFAT SURROUNDED
On Friday, September 20, the Israeli Defense Force could be seen surrounding Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat’s stronghold in Ramallah. Using loudspeakers, Israeli soldiers demanded that Arafat hands over suspected militants who they believe were hiding inside. 20 men gave themselves up, news reports said.
The operation reportedly began just hours after at least 6 people died during a bus bombing Thursday, September 19, in Tel Aviv’s busy lunch hour. Arafat was not harmed, but the Voice of America (VOA) quoted Palestinians as saying that Israeli snipers killed one of his bodyguards.
Israeli forces also blew up several buildings that had been used by Palestinian security forces, and several curfews were re-imposed in most area’s of the West Bank said VOA and news wires. Two Palestinians were killed in Gaza and 12 others were wounded near Rafah during the operation aimed at targeting workshops where militants allegedly build weapons, reports said.
The Palestinian Authority has reportedly condemned suicide attacks saying that they give Israel "an excuse to kill Palestinians."
