Settlers start provocative 'Flag March' amid calls to defend Al-Aqsa

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
18 May 18:13

Israeli occupation forces beat many Palestinian citizens and prevent the press from approaching the march's location in occupied Al-Quds.

Israeli settlers brutally assault a Palestinian youth in the Old City of occupied Al-Quds, on May 18, 2023 (Quds Network)

Al Mayadeen correspondent on Thursday reported that illegal Israeli settlers arrived at Baba Al-Amoud, one of the entrances to the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Al-Quds to participate in the so-called Israeli "Flag March".

Our correspondent mentioned that Israeli settlers are provoking Palestinian and foreign journalists in front of Bab Al-Amoud, noting that the occupation police placed journalists who wished to broadcast live in a specific area and obstructed their movement.

"Israel" will hold its usual Flag March on Thursday, ignoring #Palestinian calls and warnings regarding the provocative event. #Palestine pic.twitter.com/8ceAr7fQns
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 17, 2023

She added that Israeli occupation police forces assaulted a CNN crew in occupied Al-Quds and physically attacked its correspondent.

Illegal settlers waved Israeli occupation flags and sang in Bab Al-Amoud Square, one of the most famous gates of the Old City, while Palestinians raised the Palestinian flag, in defiance of the provocative march.

Watch: Illegal Israeli colonizers provocatively dance and sing at Bab Al-Amoud plaza in occupied Jerusalem, celebrating Israel's extreme-right provocative 'Flag March', today. pic.twitter.com/k5CqgRaSHN
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) May 18, 2023

In addition, Israeli occupation forces beat many Palestinian citizens and prevented the press from approaching the march's location, where settlers plan to perform the so-called "Flag Dance".

Today in Jerusalem's Old City, illegal Jewish colonizers celebrating Israel's extreme-right provocative 'Flag March' brutally assault Palestinians with the support of Israeli occupation forces. pic.twitter.com/spJQGkb4qR
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) May 18, 2023

Watch | Israeli occupation forces brutally assaulted an elderly #Palestinian woman, Fatima Khader, near the Damascus gate in occupied #AlQuds.#Palestine pic.twitter.com/CP8V9AWOk6
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 18, 2023

Palestinian factions call for stationing in Al-Aqsa Mosque

Commenting on the matter, Suhail Al-Hindi, a member of the political bureau of Hamas, told Al Mayadeen that the Resistance is ready to respond to the Israeli occupation and is in a stage of continuous preparation for the next battle.

Al-Hindi stressed that the Resistance cannot go easy on the Israeli occupation especially when it comes to the occupied Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Member of Hamas Political Bureau, Soheil Al-Hindi, to #AlMayadeen: "The #Palestinian Resistance is ready to respond to [any hostility by] the Israeli enemy and is continuously preparing for the next battle."#Palestine #Gaza https://t.co/mzrhFwalGN
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 18, 2023

Earlier today, the Palestinian Resistance factions considered the so-called "Flag March" a failed attempt by the Israeli occupation to impose its control over the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, calling for confronting the plans that target the city of Al-Quds and its sanctities.

In a joint statement, the factions stressed that the aggression targeting Al-Aqsa and Al-Quds requires an escalation of Resistance action and a great popular movement to thwart the malicious plans of the occupation.

On his part, Hamas Spokesperson Abdel Latif Al-Qanou stressed that the battle with the occupation over the identity of Al-Aqsa Mosque is still open and ongoing, vowing that the Resistance will not allow the Israeli occupation to pass a plan to impose its control over Al-Aqsa through the so-called "Flag March".

Al-Qanou called on the Palestinian people to station inside Al-Aqsa Mosque and protect it and escalate the confrontation against Israeli occupation forces.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) also underlined that the Palestinian people and their Resistance will not remain silent about Israeli occupation violations in Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The PFLP considered that the continuous Arab and international silence regarding the violations in Al-Quds encouraged the Israeli occupation to persist in these policies and measures aimed at Judaizing the city and pursuing the spatial and temporal division in Al-Aqsa.

The Palestinian Mujahideen Movement pointed out that the "Flag March" and the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque will not succeed in legitimizing the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

Earlier on Thursday, groups of illegal Israeli settlers stormed the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Al Mayadeen correspondent in occupied Al-Quds confirmed that more than 500 Israeli settlers stormed the Mosque within one hour and made provocative tours there.

Under the protection of Israeli occupation police, dozens of illegal Israeli settlers stormed the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque in the first hours of the day.

Groups of Israeli occupation settlers stormed the courtyards of #AlAqsa Mosque in occupied #AlQuds early Thursday, ahead of the provocative Flag March scheduled to be held later in the day.#Palestine pic.twitter.com/mhfw5pZzqK
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 18, 2023

The Israeli security establishment is preparing for several scenarios, including the outbreak of confrontations in the West Asia region, security operations, and even the possibility of rocket fire.

Further fueling Israeli concerns is the possibility of another Operation Seif Al-Quds, which the Palestinian Resistance in Gaza launched in 2021 in response to the occupation's aggression against Al-Aqsa and the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.

The streets of the Old City of Al-Quds that lead to Al-Aqsa Mosque witnessed a state of alert by the occupation forces in the morning, including the deployment of over 3,200 police officers to protect the Israeli rampage planned for today.

This year's march is taking place just days after the Israeli occupation launched an aggression on the Gaza Strip, which resulted in the martyrdom of 33 Palestinians, almost a third of whom were children and women.