Israeli Jews, Palestinians clash at Flag March in Jerusalem
Several clashes erupted between Israeli Jews and Palestinians as thousands of people marched from central Jerusalem to the Western Wall.
Israeli Jews and Palestinians clashed on Thursday at several locations in Jerusalem as thousands of Israelis paraded through the Old City under heavy security for the traditional far-right Flag March marking the unification of Jerusalem after the 1967 Six Day War.
Most of clashes occurred near the Old City's Damascus Gate, where police officers pushed Palestinians aside to let the marchers through. Haaretz reported that marchers were seen beating Palestinians and that several marchers called out "Death to Arabs" and "May your village burn down."
The traditional Flag March, which has become symbolic of religious Zionism, came just a week after a cease-fire was reached between Israel and the Islamic Jihad. The march departed from the intersection of King George and Agron Streets at the center of the city before splitting into two routes. Men entered the Old City via the Damascus Gate, marching through the Muslim Quarter, and women entered via the Jaffa Gate, marching through the Jewish Quarter, before meeting at the Western Wall Plaza. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was amid the marchers alongside other cabinet ministers.
Skirmishes between Jews and Palestinians started at the Damascus Gate before the march began. Marchers tried to interrupt reporting by Sky News Arabia's correspondent. Police detained 10 activists of the Free Jerusalem group trying to block one of Jerusalem’s main traffic routes to prevent people from reaching the march. The road was reopened for traffic after about an hour.
