The unrest in recent weeks between Israel and the Palestinians has already claimed dozens of lives. Many view the day of Jerusalem as intentionally provoked by marchers, writes Marika Kataja, a journalist specializing in the Middle East.
Rockets by Palestinian Hamas have remained hidden, at least for the time being, even though both Palestinians and many Israelis blamed Israeli nationalists for yesterday’s provocations in Jerusalem.
An estimated 25,000 Israelis took part in a flag march in Jerusalem yesterday. Jerusalem Day is Israel’s national holiday, celebrated to commemorate the conquest of the Old City of Jerusalem, East Jerusalem, following the Six Day War of 1967. It is celebrated according to the Jewish calendar on the 28th of Ijar, which this year fell yesterday, Sunday.
Last day on Jerusalem, Hamas fired rockets at Jerusalem. As a result, Israel launched hostilities in the Gaza Strip, killing more than 250 Palestinians and 13 Israelis.
Otherwise, the mood between the Palestinians and the Israelis has been extremely tense for weeks. An exceptional wave of terrorism has already killed at least 19 Israelis and killed dozens of Palestinians in retaliation by Israeli forces.
One of those killed in raids was an Al-Jazeera correspondent on duty Shireen Abu Akleh. Palestinians deliberately shot a senior journalist known to the entire Arab world as Israeli soldiers. Western countries have also called for an impartial investigation into the events.
The rage has been heightened by the fact that Jerusalem police attacked those who attended Abu Acha’s funeral procession.
Yesterday’s march was already held in a flammable situation. The right-wing government allowed the marchers to pass through the entire Palestinian territory of East Jerusalem, along the normally busy market streets from the gates of Damascus all the way to the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
“Death to the Arabs”, “I hope your village is on fire,” shouted many young far-right Israeli men behind their gates and shutters to the Palestinians locked in their homes. Several marching songs were mostly non-printable lyrics. Many marchers wore clothes illustrated with far-right and racist symbols, and such stickers were also glued to the walls, reported the Israeli media. (switch to another service)
Some of the marchers also attacked Palestinian civilians and journalists with tear gas, kicks and fists. Both Israelis and Palestinians threw bottles, stones and other movables. Dozens were injured.
However, the thousands of police officers present managed to maintain a total escalation of the situation. However, images and videos taken of the riots are already spreading among Palestinians and are likely to spread further rage.
One outraged figure is a controversial member of the Israeli Knesset, a far-right and extremist Zionist. Itamar Ben-Gvir. He was already marching under the march to show a sign of victory in the Al-Aqsa area when a group of Israelis were released there.
Ben-Gvir has openly said he was influenced by a rabbi killed in 1990 Meir Kahanin ideas. Kahanist parties were banned in Israel in 1994 after one member of the movement killed 29 Palestinians. The following year, another member of the movement assassinated the then Israeli prime minister Jizhak Rabinin.
Kahanists are too On the U.S. and EU terrorism list, but what happened on Sunday shows that there is still a lot of support for the ideas in Israel. “Rabbi Kahan is right,” read in the shirt of some marchers, according to Israeli newspapers.
In fact, far-rightism has only risen in Israel. In addition, the Prime Minister Naphtali Bennettin the government will have to follow the more radical wings, as the fragile government has already lost its majority in the Knesset and the Bennett Yamina support (moving to another service) has declined in opinion polls.
So Bennett calculated internally and allowed the marchers to riot in East Jerusalem. It remains to be seen what sanctions it will have in the Palestinian territories.