ALBAWABA - Tens of thousands of ultranationalist settlers are scheduled to march through the most sensitive section of Jerusalem on the day of a contentious parade organized by the far-right Israeli group.
The Flag March this year is scheduled to start in the afternoon and travel through the main gate of the Old City's Muslim Quarter, Damascus Gate, and past Al Aqsa Mosque on its way to the Western Wall.
The march, which was a part of the Jerusalem Day celebrations, where settlers celebrate the alleged "Jerusalem Unification" day in 1967 when Israel forced its control on Jerusalem, sparking an 11-day conflict in 2021 between Israel and Hamas.
The event has become well-known over time for igniting tension between Palestinians and Israeli marchers. Israeli officials said on Tuesday that the march will go forward, despite concerns that tensions over the Gaza war may make the day more unstable.
The number of participants has grown over the years, from a few students who followed Zionist leader Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook in 1967 to 70,000, mostly young, nationalist Israelis who attended the event two years ago, which was virtually all-violent.
The march's organizing organization, Am KeLavi, reports that it expects 60,000–100,000 people to participate today, including major participation from the relatives of those slain in the October 7 attack carried out by Hamas.
Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, renowned for his racist incitement against Arabs, resistance to Palestinian statehood, and directing settler raids into the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Palestinian communities, declared Israeli ownership over AlAqsa during a speech at the "Flag March".
Ben-Gvir said, "Temple Mount is ours, Damascus Gate is ours, let the whole world know that. Jews were allowed to freely enter the Old City today, as per my policy. And on the Temple Mount, Jews openly prayed. We just state It's ours"
The march of the previous year went off without a hitch, despite a few isolated attacks on Palestinians. It was held in response to a truce that was mediated after five days of fighting between the Israeli army and Palestinian groups.
There are two paths, both transport marchers to the Western Wall from the heart of Jerusalem. The first enters the Old City by the Dung Gate, and the second enters the Muslim Quarter through the Damascus Gate.
Ultranationalist settlers claim that the path through the Old City is not a provocation but allegedly a "natural and historical right" of the Jewish people, according to Shai Rosengarten, deputy director of the right-wing advocacy group Im Tirtzu, organizing the march today.
