Jerusalem Day: Here’s what to know ahead of the flag march

Large crowds of Israelis will arrive in Jerusalem on Thursday afternoon for the annual Jerusalem Day flag march, with thousands of police officers preparing to secure the contentious event which marches through the Muslim Quarter of the Old City.

While Jerusalem Day is technically Thursday night and Friday, the festivities were moved forward by a day in order to avoid the desecration of Shabbat.

A number of central events are set to take place on Thursday and Friday, including the flag march, a “White Night” music festival for students, the Sunroot electronic music festival, state ceremonies at Mount Herzl and Ammunition Hill for Jerusalem Day and the Memorial Day for Ethiopian Jews who Perished on their Way to Israel, tours, ceremonies and a festival marking the anniversary of the death of Samuel the Prophet.

Additionally, during the flag march, the groups protesting the judicial reform will hold a protest march near the President’s Residence in Jerusalem starting at 5:30 p.m.

Thousands of police officers to secure Jerusalem Day revelries

Over 3,200 Israel Police officers and volunteers will operate throughout Jerusalem in order to secure the revelries and direct traffic. As of Tuesday, 15 suspects had been arrested and 37 others were issued restraining orders ahead of Jerusalem Day.

The flag march will be conducted on its traditional route, departing from the center of the city along King George Street and Agron Street before splitting into two, with men continuing through the Damascus Gate and the Muslim Quarter and women continuing through the Jaffa Gate before meeting up again at the Western Wall.

The closing rally will take place at the Western Wall starting at 7 p.m. On Friday morning, festive prayers will be held at the Western Wall as well.

Israel Police stressed that the flag march will not enter the Temple Mount or any of its gates.

Police called on the participants of the march and the rest of the public to obey police instructions and to avoid any manifestation of physical or verbal violence. “Disturbances and manifestations of violence of any kind will be dealt with decisively by the police forces,” stressed the police.

From 2-7 p.m. on Thursday, the following streets and the roads leading to them will be closed to vehicles: Ben Zvi, Bezalel, King George, Keren Hayesod, Agron, Yitzhak Kariv, King Solomon, Menashe Ben Israel, Khativat Yerushalayim, Hatzanchanim, Kheil ha-Handasa, the IDF tunnel, Haim Bar Lev southward and Sultan Suleiman in both directions.

During the march, the light rail will not operate at the stations near IDF Square and public transport in the area will travel on alternate routes.

Ben-Gvir: Police will ensure complete freedom of movement for Jews

During a situation assessment with police, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stressed that “this is a holiday, the policy is to allow complete freedom of movement for Jews throughout Jerusalem. All the threats of terrorism, all the threats of bullying, all the threats of provocations of one kind or another need to be cut off.”

“In an unequivocal way, the flag march, a holiday march, the ascension of Jews to the Temple Mount, without anyone thinking that it is possible to threaten them or harm them and above all, are a message to the whole world,” added Ben-Gvir. “We have posted guards in Jerusalem and God willing Jerusalem will be painted blue and white tomorrow, holiday colors, with great joy and the police will allow all the processions, the events, and the spectacular and exciting spectacle of hundreds of thousands marching towards the Western Wall, coming to the Temple Mount and swearing allegiance to Jerusalem.”

Thousands expected to visit Temple Mount on Jerusalem Day

Thousands of Jewish visitors are set to visit the Temple Mount on Thursday, with a number of Temple Mount organizations planning large visits to the site. The site will be open to Jewish visitors from 7-11:30 a.m. and from 1:30-2:30 p.m.

At 12 p.m., the Beyadenu movement will hold a flag march from the Jaffa Gate to the gates of the Temple Mount before conducting a visit to the complex itself at 1:30 p.m. The Returning to the Mount (Chozrim Lahar) movement announced that it would march on the Temple Mount itself while singing, dancing and carrying Israeli flags, despite police bans.

Jewish visitors to the Temple Mount are prohibited by police from carrying or displaying Israeli flags or religious items and are banned from conducting open prayer. Last year, a number of visitors managed to display Israeli flags on the Mount and many of the visitors sang religious songs and prayed loudly and openly, despite orders by police.

“We are preparing to receive thousands of pilgrims to the Temple Mount on this important day for the people of Israel,” said Beyadenu director-general Tom Nisani. “Last year the pilgrims had a difficult experience going up and we expect all parties to allow free ascent to the Mount and to increase the entry hours significantly. Our activity will take place with or without the illegal restraining orders against me.”

The IDF is reportedly planning on filing a restraining order banning Nisani from entering Jerusalem for the next month due to concerns that he could “endanger national and public security,” including “provocative activity” at the Temple Mount.

A number of MKs and ministers are expected to take part in the flag march, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. It is as of yet unclear if Ben-Gvir will visit the Temple Mount on Jerusalem Day.

Palestinians call for mobilization on Temple Mount, Old City

Palestinians have expressed outrage at the flag march and plan for large visits to the Temple Mount, with Hamas-affiliated media outlets calling on Palestinians to arrive en masse at the Temple Mount on Wednesday and Thursday in order to confront Jewish visitors.

Last year, violent clashes broke out on the Temple Mount on Jerusalem Day, with Palestinians throwing chairs and launching fireworks at police from inside the mosque while police locked the doors of the mosque from the outside. Later that day, far-right activists clashed with residents of the Muslim Quarter of the Old City.

The defense establishment is preparing for the possibility of rocket fire from the Gaza Strip during the flag march as well. On Tuesday, Hamas’s al-Qassam Brigades published a social media post featuring al-Aqsa Mosque with rockets flying in the background and the text, “the Sword of Jerusalem (the name used by Palestinian factions for Operation Guardian of the Walls) will not be sheathed.”

Salah al-Bardawil, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, warned on Wednesday that “the march of the Zionist flags will not pass, and the response will inevitably come,” according to Arabic-language media.

A Palestinian Authority official in Ramallah warned Israel against “playing with fire” by allowing the flag march to take place in the Muslim Quarter. The official said that calls by some Jewish groups to “storm” al-Aqsa Mosque compound during Jerusalem Day celebrations could lead to a “big explosion.”

During a press briefing on Tuesday, US State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel stated that the US continues “to urge the parties to refrain from actions and rhetoric and activities that would inflame tensions.”

“Of course, we believe in the right of – for individuals to express themselves and to do so peacefully. And what I will reiterate is that we are urging all parties to maintain calm, to exercise restraint, and to refrain from actions and rhetoric and activities that would escalate tensions,” added Patel.

Khaled Abu Toameh contributed to this report.

JPost