On Wednesday, Israeli nationalists marched through east Jerusalem while police were deployed due to the high tensions that have persisted for nearly eight months since the Gaza war. The situation in Gaza appears to be escalating and the far-right nationalists carried out their annual march, which has long been considered a provocation by Palestinians in Jerusalem.
Every year, the Jerusalem Day flag march marks the anniversary of the Israeli army’s seizure of the city’s eastern sector during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. This area is particularly significant as it is where the Al-Aqsa mosque compound is located – a revered site in Islam and considered to be the third holiest place in the religion. The Jewish community, on the other hand, refers to this area as the Temple Mount.
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As the march through the Old City by Jewish nationalists ensued, Israeli national flags were waved, and some even danced in celebration. Unfortunately, there were instances of inflammatory and racist slogans being shouted, including by far-right activists, amidst predominantly Arab neighborhoods.
A participant marched past a group of journalists and screamed, “This is my country. I am the owner here. I’m the boss here, there is no Palestine.”
On Wednesday, the police took measures to prepare for the day’s events by setting up barriers near Damascus Gate. They announced plans to deploy over 3,000 officers throughout the day. Prior to the march, most of the shops in the Old City closed down as the streets gradually became less occupied by Palestinians and more populated by young Israelis, some of whom were seen carrying weapons.
Near Jaffa Gate, a group of young people were spotted waving Israeli flags and shouting “The people of Israel live.” Some of them were even wearing T-shirts that bore the message, “My land, I do not want to divide it.”
An AFP correspondent reported that a few far-right marchers got into a scuffle with a journalist in the Muslim Quarter of the area. During the event at Damascus Gate, numerous individuals hurled empty water bottles towards the reporters who were covering the incident, leading to some of them being apprehended by the police.
Many Palestinians view the route through predominantly Arab neighborhoods as a deliberate act of provocation. This is because they consider the eastern sector of the city as the capital of their future state.
Ibrahim, a man who was present at the scene, emphasized the importance of keeping the shops open and not allowing the settlers to take control of the city. In his opinion, it was crucial for all Arabs to be present in Jerusalem on that day.
Amidst the resounding cheers of the crowd, he confidently declared, “We have achieved complete victory with the grace of God.” He was specifically referring to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
According to the health ministry of the Hamas-run territory, the retaliatory offensive in the densely populated Palestinian enclave has resulted in the deaths of over 36,550 individuals, predominantly civilians.
The ongoing offensive in the Gaza Strip is showing signs of intensifying this week. Clashes have been escalating along Israel’s northern border with the Lebanese group Hezbollah, which is a Hamas ally and also backed by Iran.
According to Israeli officials, the northern village of Hurfeish was hit by rockets from southern Lebanon, resulting in 11 people being wounded. Among the wounded, one person is in critical condition.
During his visit to the region, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a strong warning to Hezbollah, stating that his government is ready to take decisive action against the group.
On Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces announced that they had taken “operational control” of two regions in central Gaza. This action is part of their ongoing ground operations and airstrikes throughout the area.
According to the army, they are engaged in a battle both above and below ground in the eastern part of Deir al-Balah town and also in the Bureij refugee camp.
During a visit to the Al Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah on Wednesday, CBS News was informed by medics that the hospital had received a total of 74 bodies within the past 24 hours.
According to Marwan al-Ghoul of CBS News, the Bureij camp and central Gaza have been subjected to relentless bombings, causing refugees to flee in search of safety.
