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Thousands of Israeli nationalists marched connected Thursday (May 14, 2026) done the Muslim 4th of Jerusalem’s walled Old City nether dense security, successful an yearly lawsuit marking Israel’s seizure of the city’s eastbound successful a warfare astir six decades ago.
Palestinian residents, galore of whom barricaded themselves wrong their homes successful the Old City, presumption the Jerusalem Day parade arsenic a provocation to undermine their ties to the city.
As Israelis marched done the Muslim quarter that is location to thousands of Palestinians, immoderate of the demonstrators, mostly young men, chanted “May your villages burn” and “Death to Arabs” portion waving Israeli flags.
Israel captured East Jerusalem successful the 1967 Middle East warfare and aboriginal annexed it, a determination that the United Nations and astir countries person not recognised.
“Jerusalem is our beatified city. It is our beatified metropolis forever,” said Shira Gefen, a 53-year-old Israeli who travelled to Jerusalem from her location adjacent Haifa for the rally. “We are precise blessed and excited to beryllium here. This is the bosom of the satellite and the bosom of each Jewish people,” said George, a 65-year-old Israeli who lives adjacent Ashkelon successful the country’s south. He declined to springiness his past name.
Israeli authorities deployed thousands of police officers, immoderate successful riot gear, successful Jerusalem, including astatine Damascus Gate, the main gateway to the historical Muslim quarter. The constabulary erected barricades astir the Damascus Gate area, preventing Palestinians who bash not unrecorded successful the Old City from entering. Palestinian shopkeepers successful the Old City said they were forced to adjacent up of the parade.
Tensions
The parade’s way starts successful West Jerusalem and ends astatine the Western Wall, a remnant of an past retaining operation revered by Jews arsenic the Temple Mount, a vestige of their faith’s 2 past temples. Muslims notation to that country arsenic Al Haram Al Sharif, oregon the Noble Sanctuary, a compound that is the 3rd holiest tract successful Islam.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s far-right nationalist information minister, visited the compound connected Thursday and raised an Israeli emblem arsenic security men stood down him.
Under a delicate, decades-old statement with Muslim authorities, the flashpoint compound is administered by a Jordanian spiritual instauration and Jews tin sojourn but whitethorn not commune there. Ben-Gvir has sought supplication permits for Jews astatine the site.
“The Temple Mount is successful our hands, the Temple Mount is ours,” said.
At 1 constituent during Thursday’s march, Israeli police forced activists seeking to supply a protective beingness to Palestinians — on with members of the media — retired of the Old City, earlier aboriginal allowing journalists to return portion restricting them to an country by the Austrian Hospice.
Palestinians presumption the Jerusalem Day procession arsenic portion of a broader run to bolster Jewish beingness crossed the city to their detriment.
They person agelong sought East Jerusalem arsenic the superior of a aboriginal Palestinian state.
