A massive Rosh Hashanah seudah expected to draw some 2,000 Israelis at the Chabad House in Phuket, Thailand, has been canceled at the request of Israeli security officials amid concerns that pro-Palestinian demonstrators could target the gathering and create a dangerous confrontation.

The Friday night seudah had been scheduled as one of the major Rosh Hashanah gatherings for the large number of Israeli travelers currently in Phuket. Chabad Houses throughout Thailand regularly serve as a home away from home for thousands of Israeli tourists, providing tefillos, Shabbos and Yom Tov seudos, kosher food, and other Jewish services.

According to the Chabad House, the decision to call off the event was made following a request from Israeli security officials.

The security concerns reportedly centered on the possibility that pro-Palestinian activists could gather near the Chabad House and attempt to provoke a confrontation with the Israelis attending the Rosh Hashanah seudah.

In a message distributed to those who had been planning to participate, organizers warned people not merely that the seudah had been canceled, but that they should stay away from the vicinity altogether.

“Dear guests, due to a request from Israeli security officials, we deeply regret that we must cancel the event,” organizers told those planning to attend. “Please do not approach the area. The protesters may become violent, and it could be dangerous. If you know of other travelers who were planning to attend, please pass this message along.”

The cancellation affects the large Friday evening event, but does not mean that the Chabad House is canceling its broader Rosh Hashanah schedule.

Chabad officials said that the other planned Rosh Hashanah tefillos and Yom Tov seudos, beginning on Shabbos and continuing thereafter, are presently expected to proceed according to schedule.

The unusual cancellation comes as Chabad Houses around the world continue to operate under heightened security concerns, particularly at locations frequented by large numbers of Israelis and during Shabbos and Yom Tov, when sizable groups of Jews may be gathered together in one location.

For the approximately 2,000 Israelis who had expected to spend Friday night together at Chabad of Phuket, however, the security warning means that the large communal Rosh Hashanah seudah will not take place — with organizers explicitly urging travelers to remain away from the area because of fears that the anticipated protest could turn violent.