Zionists storm Old City on ‘flag day’
JERUSALEM: Radical Zionists marched in the streets of occupied Jerusalem Wednesday, attacking Palestinians and chanting ‘death to Arabs’ as they raided Al-Aqsa Mosque’s courtyards while waving their entity’s flag under protection of the Zionist military.
The Zionists mark the so-called ‘Jerusalem Day’ with a flag march across the old city every year to commemorate the Zionist entity’s occupation of East Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank on June 5, 1967, otherwise known as the ‘Naksa’ (setback) day in the Arab World.
“This is my country. I am the owner here. I’m the boss here, there is no Palestine,” screamed a participant as he marched past a group of journalists. From early on Wednesday, police set up barriers near Damascus Gate after announcing plans to deploy more than 3,000 officers during the day.
Most shops in the Old City were closed before the march started as streets slowly emptied of Palestinians and filled with Zionists, some of whom carried weapons. Young people waving large Zionist flags and chanting “The people of (the Zionist entity) live” were seen near Jaffa Gate, and some wore T-shirts reading “My land, I do not want to divide it”. Some far-right marchers assaulted a journalist in the sector’s Muslim Quarter, according to an AFP correspondent. Many threw empty water bottles at reporters covering the event at Damascus Gate, with some of them taken away by police.
Stones were thrown from a roof above the narrow streets, the correspondent said. Police said 18 people suspected of various offences including assault had been arrested.
Palestinian businesses typically close near the march route. Zaki Abu Muhammad, 52, told AFP: “I am against closing our shops while the procession passes through the Old City, but people are thinking about protecting their children.” “The city is empty,” he said.
‘Victory is ours’
For many Palestinians, the route through predominantly Arab neighborhoods is seen as a deliberate provocation. A man who gave his name as Ibrahim said: “The shops must not close their doors, and they must not allow the settlers to take over the city. All Arabs must be in Jerusalem today.” Zionist far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said at the march: “We send a message to Hamas. Jerusalem is ours. Damascus gate is ours. The Temple Mount is ours.” “With the help of God, the full victory is ours,” he said, as crowds of people cheered.