Jerusalem Day March: Provocation or Celebration?

Under a tight security blanket, thousands of Israeli nationalists marched through the Muslim quarter of Jerusalem's Old City on Thursday. The annual event celebrates Israel's capture of the city's east in a 1967 conflict, a move Israel later annexed but remains unrecognized by most countries and the United Nations.

Shira Gefen, a participant from Haifa, emphasized Jerusalem's religious significance to the Jewish people. Meanwhile, security measures, including barricades and police in riot gear, were prominently on display. Palestinian access was restricted, leading to closed shops and heightened tensions throughout the Old City.

Palestinians condemn the march as a provocative effort to reinforce Jewish claims to Jerusalem, especially given contentious chants in previous years. As a site revered by both Jews and Muslims, the march amplifies the unresolved crisis around East Jerusalem's future, sought as a Palestinian capital.

(With inputs from agencies.)