JERUSALEM (AP) – Thousands of Israeli nationalists, some chanting “Death to the Arabs” new wave of violence. in the tense city.
The crowd, who were overwhelmingly young Orthodox Jews, were celebrating Jerusalem Day, an Israeli holiday that marks the capture of the Old City in the 1967 war in the Middle East. Palestinians see the event, which runs through the heart of the Muslim Quarter, as a provocation. Last year, the parade helped spark an 11-day war with Gaza militants, and this year’s march sparked condemnation from Palestinians and neighboring Jordan.
Israel said it had deployed thousands of police and security forces for the event and that violent clashes broke out between Jewish and Palestinian groups in the Old City before the parade began.
As the march began, groups of young Orthodox Jews gathered at the Damascus gate, waving flags, singing religious and nationalist songs, and shouting “the living Jewish nation” before entering the Muslim quarter. A large group chanted “Death to the Arabs” and “Let Your People Burn” before heading down to the Old City.
Police drove Palestinians out of the area, which is usually a bustling Palestinian road. At one point, a Palestinian-flagged drone flew overhead before police intercepted it.
Ahead of the march, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said that “hoisting the Israeli flag in the capital of Israel is obvious,” but also urged participants to celebrate it in a “responsible and respectful manner.” “.
Bennett later issued a statement ordering police to show “intolerance” towards racist groups. He described them as a “minority who came to set the area on fire” and vowed to prosecute violent extremists, a step few Israeli governments have taken in the past. Foreign Minister Yair Lapid called racist groups “a disgrace”.
Thousands of people often take part in the march through the Muslim Quarter, including some shouting nationalist or racist slogans at Palestinians, before heading to the Western Wall in the Jewish Quarter on the other side of the Old City.
Last year, after weeks of Israeli-Palestinian unrest in Jerusalem, authorities changed the course of the march at the last minute to avoid the Muslim quarter. But it was too late, and Hamas militants in Gaza fired rockets at Jerusalem as the procession began. This led to 11 days of heavy fighting.
Sunday’s march came at a time of intensifying tensions. Israeli police have repeatedly clashed with Palestinian protesters throwing stones at the disputed site in recent months, often firing rubber bullets and stun grenades.
At the same time, some 19 Israelis have been killed by Palestinian attackers in Israel and the occupied West Bank in recent weeks, while more than 35 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military operations in the occupied West Bank. Some were armed, while others were shot while allegedly throwing stones or incendiary bombs at troops. But it appears that several were not involved in any violence, including Shireen Abu Akleh, a well-known correspondent for the Al Jazeera satellite channel.
Jerusalem police have been criticized internationally for beating the bad guys at Abu Akleh’s funeral two weeks ago.
Despite the recent riots, Israeli leaders decided to allow this year’s parade to take place along its traditional route through the Muslim Quarter. Before the march, there were small fights between Israeli and Palestinian nationalists, who threw chairs and bottles and shouted “God is great” to the protesters. Some protesters sprayed pepper spray on Palestinians and journalists. In a video shared on social media, a young Jew kicked and sprayed an elderly Palestinian woman in the face, knocking her to the ground.
Police also fired rubber bullets and used sticks and pepper spray to disperse Palestinian protesters in the area.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Rescue Service said 62 people were injured, including 23 in need of hospitalization.
Israeli police say they have arrested more than 50 suspects suspected of disorderly conduct or assault on police officers. He said five officers were injured.
Before the march, more than 2,500 Jews visited Jerusalem’s most sensitive sacred site in the Old City, while Palestinians barricaded inside the Al Aqsa Mosque threw stones and fireworks.
Al Aqsa is located on top of a hill revered by Muslims and Jews. The mosque is the third holiest site in Islam, and Palestinians are fiercely protective of what they see as a powerful symbol of their national aspirations.
The site is also the holiest site for Jews, who call it Temple Mount and worship it as the home of biblical temples. Conflicting claims about the site are at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and have sparked numerous rounds of violence.
Police also said one of the Jewish groups “violated visitation rules” and was removed. Israeli media said the group had unfurled Israeli flags at the venue.
According to long-standing agreements known as the “status quo,” Jews can visit the site but not pray. In recent years, however, the number of Jewish visitors has grown significantly, including some who have been silently praying.
These scenes have aroused Palestinian fears that Israel is planning to take control or divide the area. Israel denies the allegations, saying it remains committed to the status quo.
Among the visitors was Itamar Ben-Gvir, leader of a small ultranationalist opposition party and a supporter of the late racist rabbi Meir Kahane, who came in with dozens of supporters under heavy police guard.
Palestinians shouted “God is great” while Ben Gvir, accompanied by Israeli police, shouted “the living Jewish people.” Police said they closed the mosque doors and said they made 18 arrests.
Nabil Abu Rdeneh, a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, accused Israel of “playing with fire irresponsibly and recklessly.”
Jordan condemned Ben-Gvir’s visit to the site and warned that the “provocative and growing march” could make matters worse. Jordan controlled East Jerusalem until Israel captured it in 1967 and remains the custodian of Muslim holy sites.
Israel captured East Jerusalem, including the Old City, in the 1967 Middle East War. Israel has annexed East Jerusalem in a movement that is not internationally recognized and claims the entire city as its capital. Palestinians seek East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state.
Hamas rulers in Gaza praised what they called “great heroism” shown by Palestinians at Al Aqsa early Sunday. “The Palestinian Arab Islamic identity of the Al Aqsa Mosque will be protected by our people and their brave resistance with all their might,” said Hazem Qassem, a spokesman for the group.
The group, however, may be wary of getting involved in another round of fights. Gaza was badly hit by last year’s war, and the territory is still struggling to repair the damage. In addition, some 12,000 Gaza workers are now allowed to work inside Israel as part of efforts to maintain calm among enemies. The resurgence of the struggle could risk losing these jobs, which have given a small boost to Gaza’s devastated economy.
___
AP correspondents Alon Bernstein and Ariel Schalit contributed to the report.