Provocative demo

Reporter attacked during flag march in Jerusalem

(Bild: APA/AFP/HAZEM BADER)

Thousands of Israelis from the far-right camp celebrated the anniversary of the conquest of the entire city with the "March of the Flags". There was also violence. Several people were arrested. Other Israelis set a sign of reconciliation as a deliberate contrast to the demonstration.

Despite the Gaza war, tens of thousands of Israelis, mainly from the right-wing and far-right camp, marched through the Damascus Gate and the Arab part of the Old City of Jerusalem yesterday with almost as many Israeli flags. With their deliberately provocative flag march, they celebrated the 57th anniversary of the conquest of the Old City and the eastern part of Jerusalem by the Israeli army during the Six-Day War in 1967.

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The police had declared that there would be no tolerance for violence - from any side. More than 3000 police officers and soldiers were deployed.

Nevertheless, there were violent clashes. The first victim was a Palestinian journalist who was attacked by a group of young Israelis. Demonstrators also attacked an Israeli reporter from the liberal newspaper "Haaretz", who had stood in front of other colleagues to protect them. The police announced that they had arrested five people suspected of attacking the journalists.

Shortly beforehand, Israelis willing to reconcile had handed out huge bouquets of flowers to their Arab neighbors in the Old City of Jerusalem, bringing joy to many.