The 15th edition of the "Wayn a Ramallah?" ("Where to, Ramallah?") Festival opened Tuesday in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah under the theme "We Are Staying," after a two-year hiatus due to Israel's war on the Gaza Strip.
The festival, which runs through Friday at Rashid al-Haddadin Square opposite Ramallah Municipality, features musical and artistic performances by Palestinian singers and bands.
The event is taking place amid heightened tensions in the occupied West Bank, where Palestinians have faced increasing violence by Israeli settlers since the start of Israel's war in Gaza.
On Monday, Israeli settlers attacked the Palestinian Christian town of Taybeh, just east of Ramallah, setting fire to two vehicles and vandalizing a home with racist slogans and threats.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the attack, which was the latest in a series of incidents targeting Taybeh. The incidents have included the establishment of a settler outpost and a fire near the town's historic cemetery and the Church of St. George.
Thousands of settler attacks have been reported across the West Bank since the beginning of 2025.
The violence has continued despite a landmark ruling by the International Court of Justice that declared Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
In a statement, Ramallah Municipality said the festival had been suspended for two years because of Israel's war against the Palestinian people, particularly in the Gaza Strip.
The municipality said the war represents a form of "comprehensive warfare" targeting Palestinians, their culture, environment and basic necessities of life.
"This year's edition is taking place under exceptional circumstances amid an ongoing war against the very existence of the Palestinian people," the municipality said.
It said the festival seeks to reinforce the continuity and development of Palestinian culture and demonstrate that culture is not simply a luxury for times of stability, but also a means of resistance, survival and preserving collective memory.
The municipality also said the festival aims to protect Palestinian identity and pass it on to future generations.
Launched in 2010, the "Wayn a Ramallah?" Festival has sought to showcase Palestinian artists and bands from the West Bank and abroad, maintaining a cultural platform for Palestinian music and artistic expression.
