Protesters were shouting nationalist slogans and demanding violence against the Palestinians – “We will keep Jerusalem united,” Netanyahu said
A large gathering in Jerusalem to celebrate the “reunification”, as they call it, of the city in 1967 after the conquest of East Jerusalem after the six -day war, resulted in chaos on Monday, as far -right Israeli Jews attacked Palestinians.
The annual “Yom Gerusalaim” (Jerusalem Day, in Hebrew) attracted tens of thousands of people who were shouting, danced and waving Israeli flags this year.
Israeli Far-Right Ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir Joined Settler Hate Marches in Occupied Jerusalem, Where Settlers Chanted “Death to Arabs” and praised the Genocide in Gaza, Calling for a New Nakba as the Path to Victory. pic.twitter.com/HGJJJGY0HM
– Quds News Network (@qudsnen) May 26, 2025
Today is Jerusalem Day. An Israeli 🇮🇱 National Holiday Celebrating the Annexation of East Jerusalem and the West Bank 🇵🇸
Here Right Wing Settlers in Their Thing Chant “Death To Arabs”, “We’ll Burn Your Villages”
Zionism is a racist hate cult.pic.twitter.com/v76mvosfpb
– Howard Beckett (@beckettunite) May 26, 2025
The first episodes took place in the walled old town shortly after noon, an eyewitness said at the Reuterswhen young protesters began harassing the few Palestinian shopkeepers who had not yet closed their stores in view of the demonstration.
The protesters, mainly young Israelis living in settlements in Israel -occupied West Bank, then began to target Israeli leftist activists and journalists watching the concentration.
The protesters shouted nationalist slogans and demanded violence against the Palestinians, shouting: ‘Death to Arabs’.
Breaking: Lsraell Settlers Are Marching Through Jerusalem, Chanting “Death To Arabs” and “May Your Village Burn,”
While also assaulting palestinian Women and Elderly Civilians. pic.twitter.com/3U3BM0VP2R
– Sulaiman Ahmed (@shaykhsulaiman) May 26, 2025
A group of young settlers struck a Palestinian woman and journalists, and the Israeli police not intervened, said the Witness of Reuters.
A police officer on the spot said the young Israeli protesters could not be arrested because they were under 18.
The leader of the left opposition Yair Golanformer deputy commander of the Armed Forces, characterized images of violence in the old town ‘Shocking’. In his announcement, he said: “This is not the love of Jerusalem. So is hatred, racism and bullying. “
“We will keep Jerusalem united, whole and under Israeli sovereignty”the Israeli prime minister said Benjamin Netanyahu At a meeting of the cabinet held earlier on Monday in eastern Jerusalem.
Thousands of Jews Came to the Western Wall in Jerusalem to Celebrate Jerusalem Day Tonight. ✡️
We’re more United Than Ever Before. 🤍 pic.twitter.com/rgdgt7uy86
– vivid.🇮🇱 (@vividprowess) May 26, 2025
A representative of the Palestinian Presidency based on the West Bank condemned the course and visit of the far -right Minister of National Security Ithamar Ben Gvir In the al-Akha mosque.
The ongoing Israeli War in Gaza, “The repeated invasions of the al-Akha mosque complex and provocative acts such as the raising of the Israeli flag in the occupied Jerusalem threaten the stability of the entire region.”the spokesman said, Nabil Abu Rundeinex.
Conflicts broke out throughout the day, as left -wing Israeli activists intervened to remove Palestinians from young far -right Israeli Jews threatening passers -by, witnesses said.
Journalists who covered the concentration were repeatedly harassed and in some cases were attacked, his witness said Reuters.
A palestinian man confronts a group of Israeli Settlers Who Attacked Him at Damascus Gate in the Old City of Occupied Jerusalem. pic.twitter.com/xr0pnincbh
– Times of Gaza (@timesofgaza) May 26, 2025
GVIR visit to the Square of Temenne
Earlier, the Ben Gvir visited the al-Akha mosque complex in the walled old town, known to Jews as “Temple term” and to the Arabs as the ‘Noble sanctuary’, the third sacred place in Islam.
“I climbed to the mountain of the Temple for Jerusalem Day and prayed for the victory in the war (in Gaza), for the return of our hostages and for the success of the new Chief of Sin Beth, General David Zini. Happy Jerusalem Day! “In a post on the Telegram, the far-right partner of Netanyahu, who was accompanied by members of the government, members of Knesset, dozens of Jewish settlers and photographers in the Square of Temenne, where the Al-Aksa mosque is located.
According to a decades agreement, the complex is governed by a Jordanian Islamic Foundation. The Jews, who regard the complex as the location of two ancient temples, are allowed to visit it but not pray there.
Ben Gvir, whose visit was condemned by the Palestinian Authority and Jordan, along with others in the far -right in Israel, has long been pushing for the right of the Jews in the area.
This year’s march again coincided with the Gaza war, which is in its 20th month, and the escalation of Israeli military operations against Palestinian fighters on the West Bank, where attacks on Palestinian residents have increased.
The march often triggers tension as supranational Jews flock to Palestinian areas of the walled old city of Jerusalem, on the way to the western wall, one of the most sacred places of Judaism, which tanges the complex of the mosque.
The rally of 2021 led to a brief war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic fighter team. The current war in Gaza was triggered by Hamas’ attack in October 2023 in communities in southern Israel.
Israel occupied eastern Jerusalem, including the Old City, from Jordan to the Middle East war in 1967. The Palestinians envision Eastern Jerusalem as the capital of a future state that will include the West Bank and Gaza.
Most countries consider Eastern Jerusalem occupied area and do not recognize Israeli sovereignty over it. Israel views Jerusalem as its eternal, indivisible capital.
In 2017, US President Donald Trump recognized the whole Jerusalem As the capital of Israel and carried there the US Embassy from the Tel Aviv. On Sunday, US Ambassador Mike Haccabia Evangelical Christian congratulated Israel on what he called the city reunion 58 years ago.
OR Naomi Hirsler39 years old, Israeli hairdresser from Jerusalem, walking next to closed Palestinian owners in the old town, said he was watching the concentration every year.
“It’s something you can’t explain. You feel it. It is a happiness that comes from within you »he said, adding that they were “Very happy to have Jerusalem for us.”
Source :Skai
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