The participation of four young ultra-Orthodox Jews in an Arab wedding in the village of Deir Kadis near Ramallah sparked a wave of outrage from Palestinians opposed to coexistence with Israeli Jews. The firestorm eventually resulted in the bridegroom’s father being dismissed from his post as chairman of the local council.

For everyone else, the video was further evidence that Jews and Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians, can live peacefully and even celebrate together. 

Hostile reactions to the video slammed many of the Arab wedding guests for not only dancing with, but holding the Jewish guests aloft on their shoulders. 

The most vile responses were reserved for the host and father of the groom, Radi Nasser, who later claimed he was unaware of the presence of Israelis at the wedding. Apparently, the Jewish guests had been invited by young Arabs who work at shops near the entrance to the village, and which attract many Israeli customers. 

Regardless, Nasser bore the blame for what many saw as the crime of normalization, and was not only fired from his position, but was also ejected from the Fatah movement headed by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Israel’s ostensible peace partner.