The march had initially been accredited regardless of issues over potential violence in the course of the battle on Gaza.
Jerusalem — About 200 Israeli settlers gathered within the centre of West Jerusalem on Thursday evening, making provocative speeches as a part of a march earlier than Israeli police forcefully dispersed them.
The march was anticipated to go in the direction of the partitions of the Outdated Metropolis of Jerusalem and enter by means of Damascus Gate. However police mentioned the marchers violated situations that had been set for them by authorities, forcing them to crack down and cancel the permission that had been given for the march.
Similar marches by far-right teams by means of the Outdated Metropolis of Jerusalem have up to now steadily led to violence in opposition to Palestinians and heightened tensions. The Outdated Metropolis is a part of East Jerusalem, which has been beneath unlawful Israeli occupation since 1967.
Thursday’s march sparked even higher issues about potential violence than standard as a result of it was deliberate throughout Israel’s battle on Gaza. Israel’s bombing and artillery fireplace has killed greater than 17,000 individuals in Gaza since October 7 when Hamas fighters attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 individuals and capturing 240 others.
“At first, racist chants were heard on the spot from some of the participants, and at one point, dozens of protesters disobeyed the instructions of the police officers on the spot and advanced without the permission of the police in a wild run for a short distance,” an Israeli police spokesperson mentioned. “The police stopped them after a few tens of metres, and accordingly, an illegal assembly was declared by a police officer.”
“The Israel Police will continue to allow freedom of expression and protest within the limits of the law but will not allow the violation of public order contrary to the law.”
Chatting with Al Jazeera, one of many settlers attending the march described the group’s intent as “to get rid of the Muslim Waqf of the Temple Mount because the Temple Mount belongs only to the Jewish people”, referring to the Jordanian-appointed organisation that manages Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Al-Aqsa, one in all Islam’s holiest websites, is also referred to as the Temple Mount and is a holy web site for Jews. The location has been on the coronary heart of tensions in Jerusalem for many years.
Lately, settler assaults on Al-Aqsa Mosque have become more frequent, typically backed by influential politicians comparable to Minister of Nationwide Safety Itamar Ben-Gvir.
After Thursday’s march was cancelled, the Outdated Metropolis remained closed over fears that the settlers would possibly enter and perform assaults in opposition to residents.
Israel has confronted rising criticism from its allies — particularly the US — over violence and provocations by settlers within the occupied West Financial institution and East Jerusalem.
