Thousands of Israelis march through Jerusalem, some attack Palestinians | News on the Israel-Palestine conflict

According to Islamic authorities, more than 1,100 Israelis entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound during the provocative annual parade.

Thousands of Israelis took part in a march through occupied East Jerusalem as part of an annual demonstration marking Israel’s occupation of the city. Some of them attacked Palestinians and shouted racist slogans.

Footage shared by local journalists on Wednesday showed young men and teenagers chanting “Death to Arabs” and “May your village burn” during the so-called “flag march” on Wednesday.

The parade took place amid heightened tensions as Israel continues its war against Gaza, which Palestinian authorities say has already killed more than 36,500 people, mostly women and children.

Protesters danced and waved Israeli flags throughout the city.

The Jerusalem Waqf, the Islamic authority that manages the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, said more than 1,100 Israelis had entered the compound, known to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary) and to Jews as the Temple Mount.

The AFP news agency published photos of Israeli protesters attacking a Palestinian journalist in the Old City. Several Israeli media outlets reported that Haaretz reporter Nir Hasson was also attacked.

Reporting from the Jordanian capital Amman, Al Jazeera’s Imran Khan said this year’s march appeared to be more violent than in previous years.

“Almost immediately after arriving in occupied East Jerusalem, the ultranationalists began attacking Palestinians. Young children attacked older Palestinians – we have seen pictures of this,” Khan said.

“They attacked shops, they stormed into shops. The Israeli police simply lost control. In fact, they told the Palestinians to just close their shops because they didn’t have these people under control.”

According to Israeli media reports, Israel deployed 3,000 police officers to the march and urged protesters to “avoid any physical or verbal violence.”

AFP footage showed protesters holding signs criticising the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the United Nations’ highest court, for calling on Israel to stop its attack on Rafah.

“The ICJ is corrupt and collaborates with Hamas,” read one sign.

Far-right Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir took part in the march and called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “be strong,” implicitly criticizing a proposal for a ceasefire to end the war in Gaza.

“The Damascus Gate is ours. The Temple Mount is ours. And God willing, complete victory is ours,” Ben-Gvir said, according to the Times of Israel, referring to the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex – Islam’s third holiest site.

Israel captured East Jerusalem during the Six-Day War of 1967 and annexed the city in 1980 in a move not recognized by the international community.

Al-Haram al-Sharif remains under the administration of the Jordanian-appointed Waqf and only Muslims are allowed to pray on the premises.

However, Israeli security forces often allow Israelis to storm the site. In recent years, Israeli forces have also attacked worshippers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The Second Intifada, the Palestinian uprising that brought years of protests and violent attacks, began in 2000 after Israeli politician Ariel Sharon visited the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Hamas also cited Israeli violations at Al-Aqsa as one of the main reasons for its attack on Israel in the “Al-Aqsa Floods” on October 7, when Hamas fighters led an attack that killed at least 1,139 people, mostly civilians, and captured about 250 others.

On Wednesday, Hamas condemned the Israeli parade in Jerusalem, calling it a “blatant aggression” against Arabs and Muslims.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said the parade “reaffirms that Jerusalem is at the heart of the conflict.”

“Our people will not rest until the occupation is over and an independent Palestinian state is established with Jerusalem as its capital,” he said in a statement.