Jewish settlers will go ahead with a provocative flag-waving march in occupied East Jerusalem, despite Israeli police officially prohibiting the rally, The New Arab reported.
“At this stage, the police are not approving the protest march under the requested layout,” the Israeli police said in a statement, without elaborating. It was not clear if the rally would be banned entirely or just on the proposed route past the Damascus Gate, the entrance to the Old City.
Israeli settlers start gathering to take part in the flag march at Bab area in occupied Jerusalem.#FreePalestine #IsraeliCrimes pic.twitter.com/N8hDbspils
— Wafa News Agency – English (@WAFANewsEnglish) April 20, 2022
Palestinian groups said on Tuesday evening that they were “raising the state of general alert” and warned against Israeli extremists holding a flag march in Jerusalem.
Far-right Israeli lawmaker Itamar Ben-Gvir said he would be attending the march, The New Arab’s Arabic-language sister service reported.
Israeli occupation forces are trying to remove commercial stalls at Bab Al-Amoud area in the occupied Jerusalem, preparing for the passing of the settlers' flag march. pic.twitter.com/6aWiK67iID
— PALESTINE ONLINE 🇵🇸 (@OnlinePalEng) April 20, 2022
“I cannot remain silent when I see the Israeli government raising the white flag,” he explained, according to the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth.
“I plan to raise the Israeli flag at the Damascus Gate to send a message to [Hamas] that they don’t own Jerusalem.”
A similar situation last May saw Israeli extremists organize a flag march – like this year coinciding with Ramadan – after Israel attacked the Al-Aqsa Mosque and as Palestinians in East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood were threatened expulsion.
(The New Arab, PC, Social Media)
