Israeli Settlers Storm Al Quds, Attack Palestinians on 'Flag March'
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6 June 2024 12:13 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Tens of thousands of flag-waving Israelis held an annual march through what they claimed as East Jerusalem on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, to mark its capture in a 1967 war, in what their leaders described as a defiant message as clashes with current enemies in Gaza and Lebanon continue.
As in years past, some marchers scuffled with the people of Palestine in the walled Old City, a flashpoint site of shrines to the three major faiths. Police said 18 people, among them teenagers, were arrested, including for assaulting a journalist.
This time, tensions were further inflamed by the almost eight-month-old war against Palestinian Hamas in Gaza, and knock-on fighting with Hezbollah in Lebanon, among regional armed groups backed by Israel's arch-foe Iran.
Israel counts all of Jerusalem as its indivisible capital, based on ancient Jewish roots in the city, but such sovereignty has not been widely recognized abroad. Palestinians want the east region as the capital of their hoped-for future state.
"We are an ancient people, a people of brave warriors, we stood up as one man and defended ourselves," said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to his cabinet, in reference to the 1967 war against several Arab armies.
"We are doing the same today against Hamas in the south, Hezbollah in the north, and Iran in the east,” Netanyahu added.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, the Israeli far-right police minister of national security who has called for the ban on Jewish prayers to be lifted, described the march as an act of self-defense.
“I told Hamas that Jerusalem, the Damascus Gate (in the Old City), and the Al Aqsa mosque are ours,” he said. “We won't give up until the victory. We won't stop. We have to win.”
Under the protection of the Israeli occupation police, Israeli settlers invaded the occupied Old City of Al Quds from the Bab al-Amoud area.
The people of Palestine facing attacks in various neighborhoods in the Old City are currently witnessing provocations by Israeli settlers, most of whom are armed.
Settlers attacked journalists and Palestinian residents in Bab al-Amoud, forcing journalists to leave the area. They hurled insults at Islam and Arabs.
