Alessio Romenzi

JERUSALEM : Palestinian women demonstrate in front of Damascus Gate in Jerusalem's Old City during a demonstration on December 17, 2009 against an Israeli ban on Palestinian events in the disputed holy city, which is seen by the Jewish state as its 'eternal, undivided' capital. Israeli police also surrounded the French cultural centre in mostly Arab east Jerusalem, apparently to detain the organiser of a Palestinian cultural event. Around 50 people, including officials from the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority (PA) were taking part in the event at the centre in honour of Jerusalem's selection as the 2009 'capital of Arab culture' by UNESCO and the Arab League..© ALESSIO ROMENZI