Israelis parade through Palestinian area of Jerusalem, risking a new wave of violence
PBS NewsHourSep 09, 2022
Israeli Officials Criticize Nationalists After Chaos on Jerusalem Day
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Image copyright: AFP/Getty Images [via NBC News]
The Facts
On Mon., senior Israeli officials, including Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Public Security Minister Omer Bar Lev, called for right-wing nationalist organizations Lehava and La Familia to be declared terrorist organizations.
This comes a day after thousands of Israelis marched through Jerusalem, including through the Old City's Muslim Quarter, to mark Jerusalem Day, which celebrates the capture of the Old City and unification of Jerusalem in 1967 - an annexation not recognized internationally.
The Spin
Pro-Palestine narrative
The Israeli flag march, which has become an annual event for Zionist extremists, is a supremacist demonstration aimed at provoking Palestinians and asserting control. Settlers and ultra-nationalists use the day to desecrate Muslim holy sites and attack Palestinian residents; all under the protection of the Israeli police.
Pro-Israel narrative
The flag march isn't about provoking Palestinians or stirring hate; it's a longstanding tradition of pilgrimage and a celebration of love for Jerusalem. Just because it has been politicized by a few groups inciting hate - which Israel has condemned and is rightly cracking down on - doesn't mean the whole tradition, which is largely peaceful, should be tainted.
