JERUSALEM: Thousands of Israeli nationalists marched through the Old City of annexed east Jerusalem on Wednesday, waving flags and chanting anti-Arab slogans.
The so-called Jerusalem Day flag march commemorates the Israeli army’s capture of the city’s eastern sector in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, a move deeply contentious due to the area’s religious significance.
The march drew participants, including far-right activists, who traversed predominantly Arab neighborhoods, waving Israeli flags and occasionally shouting inflammatory or racist slogans. Amidst tightened security measures, police deployed over 3,000 officers and closed most shops in the Old City before the march, resulting in the streets emptying of Palestinians and filling with young Israelis.
Throughout the day, clashes erupted between marchers and local residents, with reports of insults, garbage throwing, and stone-throwing incidents. Police reported arresting 18 individuals suspected of various offenses, including assault. The confrontations underscored the heightened tensions surrounding the annual event, seen by many Palestinians as a deliberate provocation.
For Palestinians, the march route through predominantly Arab neighborhoods symbolizes the ongoing dispute over Jerusalem’s sovereignty. Palestinians claim the city’s eastern sector, where the Old City is located, as the capital of their future state. As a result, the march is viewed as an affront to Palestinian aspirations and a reminder of the unresolved conflict.
The Israeli far-right, represented by figures like National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, used the event to assert Israeli control over Jerusalem. Ben Gvir’s remarks, declaring Jerusalem as solely Israeli territory, reflect the nationalist sentiment prevalent among participants. Despite concerns over potential violence, the march concluded at the Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest site.
This year’s march holds particular significance following recent escalations in the region, including the October 7 attack by Hamas.
The ongoing conflict with over 36000 Palestinians killed mostly women and children underscore the deep-rooted divisions and the complex challenges facing efforts to achieve lasting peace in the region.
As Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh condemned the march, emphasizing Jerusalem’s central role in the Palestinian-Israel conflict, the event highlighted the entrenched positions on both sides. With the Palestinian- Israeli conflict showing no signs of resolution, events like the Jerusalem Day march serve as potent reminders of the enduring divisions and the elusive quest for peace in the region.
