Egypt on Wednesday called off an annual Jewish festival in the Nile Delta, which draws thousands of Israeli and other Jews who flock from all over the world to celebrate the birthday of a Abu Hassira, a Moroccan Jew whom they revere as a holy man.
Egypt has informed Israel that it would not be "appropriate" for the pilgrims to make the annual visit to the Demitiouh village, in the northern province of Beheira, foreign ministry sources said.
The Abuhatzeira festival, which was made possible after Egypt signed a 1979 peace treaty with Israel, has repeatedly drawn angry reactions from residents of the village.
Several cases have been filed in court demanding that it end.
The decision to cancel the gathering came after several political groups launched a campaign against the influx of Israeli visitors.
The Los Angeles-based Simon Wiesenthal Centre on Wednesday slammed the decision, which it said was influenced by Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, who have just claimed the lead in landmark post-revolution parliamentary elections.
"It is an ominous sign that they ascend to power in the Egyptian parliament, the Muslim Brotherhood's first act is to curb the religious freedom of Jews," said Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Wiesenthal Centre.
Rabbi Yaakov Abuhatzeira is a renowned religious figure from Morocco, who fell ill and died in Egypt in 1880. He had been buried in Demitiouh ever since. He was the grandfather of the Baba Sali, the noted kabbalist who died in 1984 and is buried in Netivot.
Due to begin on 15 January, the festival-cum-pilgrimage lasts for a week.
Born as Yaccov Aharon in Morocco in 1807, the legend has it that on a trip from his homeland to the Holy Land, Abuhatzeira crossed the Mediterranean riding on a hassira (mat) until he reached Alexandria.
He settled in Demitiouh village near Damanhour , some 150 kilometres north of Cairo.
The pilgrimage was allowed under ousted president Hosni Mubarak, but efforts were made to keep it low-key.