Israel celebrated Jerusalem Day this Sunday. Thousands of Israelis marched through the streets of the holy city. Called “the march of the flags”, this annual mobilization aims to commemorate the conquest of East Jerusalem by the Israeli army, and to reaffirm the sovereignty of the Jewish state over the entire city.
With our correspondent in Jerusalem, Sami Boukhelifa
Of the hundreds of israeli flags white and blue, stamped with a Star of David, waved under the windows of the Palestinians. For the Arab inhabitants of Jerusalem, Muslims or Christians, it is not a day of celebration, but of provocation.
The processions of the Israelis arrived in successive waves in the old city of Jerusalem. Protected by the police, the galvanized crowd chanted slogans of incredible violence: ” Death to the Arabs. Death to the Prophet of Islam “.
Ban on going out for Palestinians
The Palestinians remained locked up in their homes. Absolute ban on going out. The Israeli police also demanded the closure of their businesses. On the rooftops of their homes, some Palestinians watched helplessly as violent far-right activists poured in. They threw projectiles in the direction of Palestinian homes, while giving the middle finger.
This outburst of hatred is nothing new. Every year, these Israeli far-right activists celebrate Israel’s conquest of Jerusalem. In reality, says a young Palestinian, “ they celebrate Jewish occupation and supremacy “. According to international law, East Jerusalem is illegally occupied and annexed by the Jewish state.