Thousands of Israeli police deployed in the streets of Jerusalem on Wednesday ahead of the annual flag day procession that marks Israel’s capture of East Jerusalem in 1967 and has in the past led to clashes between marchers and Palestinians. The march this year takes place as the war in Gaza approaches the start of its ninth month, adding to concerns of wider violence.
Tens of thousands of marchers carrying blue and white Israeli flags are expected to parade through the narrow streets of the Old City, where many Palestinian shopkeepers shutter their businesses for fear of racist violence. A police spokesperson said more than 3,000 police would be on duty to “maintain the routine of life as much as possible.”
Israel considers all of Jerusalem, including East Jerusalem, which it seized in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed in a move not recognized internationally, as the “eternal and undivided” capital of the Jewish state. Palestinians see the march as a blatant provocation aimed at undermining their claim to East Jerusalem as the capital of a future independent state. Last year, the event saw groups of Jewish youths chant slogans including “Death to Arabs!”
The walled Old City of Jerusalem, home to some of the holiest sites of the Jewish, Muslim, and Christian religions, has been a regular flashpoint for trouble, often from visitors from outside the area, where the three communities live in close proximity among the narrow alleyways. This year, there was increased attention on the possibility of tensions flaring and a reaction from Hamas, which issued a statement calling for “general mobilization and confrontation” in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank.
Violence during the march in 2021 helped contribute to the start of a 10-day war between Israel and the Islamist movement which had warned it would react to what it considered incursions at the Al Aqsa Mosque compound and attempts by Jewish settler groups to forcibly displace Palestinian residents from their homes.
The police said the march would not enter the hilltop compound, the third holiest site for Muslims and the holiest place for Jews, who revere it as Temple Mount, the site of two ancient Temples destroyed in antiquity. Large numbers of Jewish visitors were reported to have entered the compound in the morning, under the arrangement with the Jordanian authority that administers the site which allows them to visit the compound but not to pray there.
The march through Jerusalem on flag day is a deeply symbolic event for Israelis, celebrating their capture of East Jerusalem in 1967. However, for Palestinians, it represents a painful reminder of their displacement and loss of land. The clash of these two narratives often leads to tension and violence on the streets of Jerusalem.
The presence of thousands of Israeli police officers is an attempt to maintain order and prevent any escalation of violence during the march. However, the underlying issues of occupation and displacement remain unresolved, fueling ongoing conflict in the region.
As tensions continue to simmer in Jerusalem, it is crucial for all parties involved to seek peaceful solutions and dialogue to address the root causes of the conflict. Only through mutual understanding and respect can a lasting peace be achieved in this deeply divided city.