Hamas opposes dance festival

RAMALLAH, West Bank, April 21 (UPI) -- A dance festival planned for the West Bank town of Ramallah has come under sharp criticism from leaders of the Hamas government.

Hamas is calling on the Palestinian Authority to cancel the festival on grounds that it distorts the Palestinian struggle and harms the image of Palestinians, The Jerusalem Post reported Monday.

"They are wasting the money of our people on trivial matters," said Saleh al-Raqab, a spokesman for the Hamas government. "This event has nothing to do with our people's culture and history."

The newspaper says the main reason Hamas is opposed to the dance festival is that it will bring men and women together.

The event is being organized by a local group that says it wants to introduce Palestinians to new and progressive forms of contemporary artistic expression.

It will feature ensembles and troupes from the West Bank and a variety of European counties, including Italy, Serbia and Finland.