Fearing an escalation, Israeli police are on high alert for the controversial flag march in Jerusalem. About 3,000 security forces will ensure the march of nationalist Israelis through the Old City on Sunday. Contrary to false reports, the march will not lead to the Temple Mount (Al-Haram Al-Sharif). Police also want to arrest dozens of people for sedition and plan to sabotage the march.
The route must also lead through the Muslim quarter of the old city, which the Palestinians see as a special provocation. The march takes place annually on what is known as Jerusalem Day. It celebrates the Israeli conquest of East Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War.
The Palestinians, on the other hand, see the Arab-dominated eastern part of Jerusalem as the future capital of their own state. Israel claims all of Jerusalem as its capital.
Warning for Israeli extremists
The Islamist Palestinian organization Hamas warned of alleged plans by Israeli extremists to damage the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount. The Dome of the Rock is sacred to Muslims. Should such an act occur, Israel bears all responsibility for the consequences of this act.
The head of Hezbollah’s Shia militia in Lebanon, Hassan Nasrallah, also said damage to the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque “will result in a major explosion in the region”.
Canceled due to missile strikes
Last year, the Jerusalem Day flag march on May 10 was canceled due to rocket attacks by Hamas, the ruling party in the Gaza Strip. Hamas described the attack on Jerusalem as a response to Israel’s actions on the Temple Mount and in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
