The Israeli occupation will deploy over 3,200 police officers in occupied Jerusalem in preparations for the Israeli far-right “Flag March” scheduled for Thursday, Israeli media reported.
Some Wednesday reports said that the Israeli military has also deployed the Iron Dome system in Jerusalem over fears of rocket launches by the Palestinian resistance in Gaza during the march.
The measures include “the adoption of technology as well as overt and covert police officers,” the media outlets added.
The Israeli i24 News website reported that the occupation police announced their readiness amid calls for Palestinians in occupied Jerusalem to raise the flags of Palestine in response to the provocative march.
Hamas senior official Osama Hamdan warned the Israeli occupation against crossing the red lines in the “flags march” in occupied Jerusalem, adding that “ending the [Gaza] confrontation before the flags march in Jerusalem does not mean that the confrontation cannot erupt again if Israel crosses the red lines.”
Hamdan pointed out that “there is an Israeli attempt to create a media uproar about the march of flags to cover up the failure of its aggression on the Gaza Strip.”
Head of Hamas National Relations Abroad, Ali Baraka, said on Tuesday that “any violation of our red lines will mean that the Resistance will have a say,” calling on Palestinians to attend the morning prayers in Al-Aqsa, warning that the march is a “provocation to the Palestinian people and a violation of the sanctity of Al-Aqsa.”
Israeli Walla News website reported earlier that sources in the security and military establishment warned against irresponsible statements that might incite violence in response: specifically referring to the customary speeches associating the “Flag March” with “Temple Mount”.
The report added that the security and military establishment fears an attack of a salvo of rockets, especially in the wake of recent escalation.
The Times of Israel also reported that the Israeli police are on high alert to deal with any retaliation and even rocket fire during the upcoming “Flag March”.
The ultranationalist “Flag March” has been ongoing for years, commemorating Israel’s 1967 capture of East Jerusalem. The Israeli occupation established “Jerusalem Day” in 1968, a year after they occupied the Palestinian city, to celebrate their conquest.
2021’s parade took place amid heightened tensions in the city, paving the way for ‘Israel’ to launch a devastating military attack on the Gaza Strip, codenamed Guardian of the Walls.
The May 2021 assault left 256 Palestinians dead and thousands injured, as well as damaging over 50,000 homes and destroying key infrastructure.
