Jerusalem clashes: Jewish march won’t pass through Muslim Quarter, after hundreds wounded


Israelis celebrating Jerusalem Day today in Jerusalem.

Haaretz  

Israel decided to bar Jews from entering the Temple Mount in East Jerusalem on Monday fearing an escalation during one of the city’s tensest days in the year.

After a violent morning of clashes between Palestinian worshippers and Israel Police that saw left 205 Palestinians hospitalized, according to the Red Crescent, police say temporary calm has been restored in the compound. Later on Monday, Jewish groups plan to hold the annual Jerusalem Day flag parade, which will run through the Old City’s Muslim quarter.

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4:07 P.M. In last minute reversal, Jewish flag march won’t pass through Damascus Gate, Muslim Quarter 

Israel decided that the annual Jewish flag march will not pass through the Damascus Gate and the whole Muslim Quarter of the Old City, following a day of intense clashes between Palestinian worshippers and police.

The decision was made just one hour before the march was scheduled to begin.

In recent days, security officials warned against the march’s route, which typically starts in the western parts of the city then enters the Muslim Quarter, due to violent clashes which have consumed Jerusalem in recent days.

Depsite the warnings, Israel Police was ready to facilitate the march on its original route, offering thousands of officers to escort those marching.

Public Security Minister Amir Ohana was also in favor of keeping the march on its original route, a police source told Haaretz. (Josh Breiner) 

3:48 P.M. 331 Palestinians injured, 250 hospitalized 

331 Palestinians are injured in clashes in Jerusalem, 250 have been hospitalized, the Palestinian Red Crescent says. Seven are in serious condition. Among the injured are Red Crescent paramedics. (Nir Hasson) 

3:30 P.M. Far-right lawmakers tour Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood 

Religious Zionism chairman Bezalel Smotrich and other party lawmakers toured Sheikh Jarrah on Monday, where he called on New Hope and Yamina lawmakers to end coalition negotiations with United Arab List chairman Mansour Abbas.

“History is repeating itself. Every time that Israel negotiates and surrenders to the demands of Arabs that are infringing on our right to exist;  the terror, that results from hope, gets out of hand. That’s how the Oslo Accords resulted in a wave of terror attacks against us, and today, it’s how supporters of terror are tipping the scale, and ended up as the kingmakers. The legitimacy that Mansour Abbas and other terror supporters have today is turning against the citizens of Israel.”

“Whoever lends legitimacy to a supporter of terror to be a part of an Israeli government shouldn’t be surprised when the terrorists revolt against the State of Israel,” Smotrich said.

Appealing to Gideon Sa’ar and Naftali Bennett, chairmen of New Hope and Yamina respectively, Smotrich appealed to them not to “throw your right-wing ideology away by joining the ranks of those who are inciting violence against Jews. We have to construct a strong, right-wing Jewish Zionist government that will reform the justice system, where we can bring together the whole country without security threats from both right and left. Put them [Arab lawmakers and the left] outside the border and reinforce that Jews will manage the Jewish state.”

After speaking, Smotrich and his companions attempted to enter the neighborhood, but were blocked by local activists. They then entered a home of a local Jewish family, but a group of Palestinians is gathered outside, chanting: “Settlers, leave.” (Hagar Shezaf)

(Josh Breiner)

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Palestinian wounded on the Al-Aqsa compound after clashes with Israeli security forces, May 2021.
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