Lt.-Gen. (res.) Benny Gantz, who served until recently as the IDF’s chief of staff, attended an odd peace concert at Kfar Aza, near the border with Gaza, Thursday evening.

The “Concert without Borders” featured what appeared to be an imam delivering the Muslim call to prayer, as can be seen 42 seconds into the Channel 2 TV report embedded above. 

The concert was “very beautiful,” Gantz told reporters. “One can see not only steadfastedness but also action and hope, and in my eyes this is very very beautiful.”

About 1,000 people attended the concert, which featured Jewish and Arab musicians and was reportedly their initiative. Also in attendance were the incoming Head of the Eshkol Regional Council, Gadi Yarkoni, his predecessor, MK Haim Yellin of Yesh Atid, and communist MK Dov Khenin. Most of the Gaza Belt communities, with the exception of Sderot, are kibbutz communities with deep socialist roots.

The first part of the concert was billed as “a requiem for those killed on both sides” in last year’s war between Israel and Gaza’s terrorists. It featured Mozart’s requiem as well as Jewish and Arabic hymns of mourning.

Dozens of Gazans had reportedly been invited to the concert but their seats remained empty, after Hamas forbade their attendance.

Hours before the concert was held, two rockets that were fired from Gaza exploded nearby.