JERUSALEM: Tens of thousands of far right Israelis marched through the Muslim quarter of Jerusalem’s walled old quarter under heavy security on Thursday in an annual event that further heightened tensions with Palestinians.

The parade is the main event on “Jerusalem Day”, when Israel marks its capture of the city in the 1967 war. The event has become a show of force for Jewish nationalists and, for Palestinians, a blatant provocation meant to undermine their ties to the city.

Despite fears the event could spark renewed violence following days of cross-border fire with Palestinian fighters in Gaza last week, the march ended with no major security incidents.

During the afternoon, rowdy crowds of Jewish youth danced and chanted, and there were heated confrontations, with shouts of “Death to Arabs” and other slogans. A number of journalists covering the event were attacked by marchers.

As the march ended in a mass gathering in front of the Western Wall, Prime Minister Benjamin Netan­yahu said he had ordered the march to go ahead despite security concerns. “Jerusalem will stay united forever,” he said.

Around 2,500 officers were assigned to the march to keep it peaceful.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2023