Hamas condemns video of Muslim and Jewish people dancing as 'disgraceful spectacle'

Hamas calls for Bahrain to stop 'any form of normalisation with the Zionist enemy'

Officials from Hamas have criticised a video appearing to show Muslim and Jewish people dancing together at a Hanukka ceremony, describing it as a “disgraceful spectacle”.

The Islamist group said the video from the event, hosted by the king of Bahrain and attended by members of the local Jewish community, was “humiliating” after it was posted on YouTube.

In the clip, Muslim and Jewish men wearing keffiyehs and kippahs were seen performing a traditional Hasidic dance during a candle-lighting ceremony.

“In light of the increasing pace of international sympathy for the Palestinian cause… and the growing boycott of the Zionist movement in all forms, a group of dignitaries and traders in the State of Bahrain hosted a Zionist, racist and extremist Jewish delegation and danced with them in a humiliating and disgraceful spectacle,” Hamas officials said in a statement.

“Hamas calls on Bahrain to fully stop any form of normalisation with the Zionist enemy.”

Israel’s Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman recently inflamed tensions by suggesting the next war with Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip will be the last “because we will completely destroy them”.

Hamas hit back by claiming it now has a “real army” with which to fight Israel and has increased its manufacture of missiles to prepare for conflict.

“Hamas has made a resolute decision to remain steadfast and wage Jihad as the only means to liberate Palestine,” senior official Fathi Hammad said.