Palestinians attacked by Israeli settlers shouting "Death to Arabs" during far-right rally

Opinion
31 May 22

'Flag Day' march in Jerusalem, where far-right Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians.

The violence comes after Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and killed in a targeted attack by Israeli soldiers, later followed by the death of two Palestinian children by settler forces.

Chaos ensued during an Israeli settler rally in East Jerusalem on Sunday, with Palestinian civilians - including elders and children - brutally attacked. Racist chants of "Shireen is a whore", referring to the murdered Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, "May your village burn", "Mohammed is dead" and "Death to Arabs" were reported.

Thousands of far-right Israelis stormed Damascus Gate in occupied East Jerusalem to mark the so-called 'flag march' in the old city. The march in Palestine is held to mark what Israeli settlers call the day of unifying Jerusalem, in reference to Israel’s occupation of the city in 1967 and subsequent annexation which is not internationally recognised.

Israeli settlers also attacked homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood over the weekend, with shocking videos emerging from the 'flag march'. Extremist Israeli groups cursed at the journalists, attacked reporters and interrupted live broadcasts. Some of the marchers who entered the march through Damascus Gate also tried to damage Palestinian shops and attack residents. One Palestinian demonstrator was arrested after waving a Palestinian flag in front of the marchers. Flags were torn down from Palestinian property.

Israelis marched through Muslim areas of East Jerusalem's Old City on Sunday and attacked Palestinians during the annual flag march, which marks Israel’s annexation of East Jerusalem during the 1967 Arab Israeli war. pic.twitter.com/J78fL4inkw

— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) May 30, 2022

Yesterday in Jerusalem, a Palestinian elderly man got brutally assaulted for raising the flag of Palestine in the vicinity of Damascus Gate. pic.twitter.com/YSeNded4Jj

— TIMES OF GAZA (@Timesofgaza) May 30, 2022

We witnessed similar in the Muslim quarter. Shortly after, our BBC team were assaulted causing our cameraman to lose part of his equipment. We were later spat at. One shouted: “Go and be with Shireen” https://t.co/dug5Eg8aRT

— Tom Bateman (@tombateman) May 30, 2022

They are chanting "Shufat is on fire", referring to Mohammad Abu Khdair, the child who was kidnapped, tortured, forced to drink gasoline and burnt to death.

This is the #FlagMarch endorsed by the Israeli Government and protected by 3000 israeli forces https://t.co/4WDbxBQHBR

— Jalal (@JalalAK_jojo) May 29, 2022

📸An Israeli settler points his gun at Palestinian journalist holding a camera during Israel's provocative 'Flag March' in occupied Jerusalem. May 29, 2022 pic.twitter.com/6OjDYNXxuG

— PALESTINE ONLINE 🇵🇸 (@OnlinePalEng) May 30, 2022

The @AFP describes this image of an elderly Palestinian journalist being punched in the head by Israeli forces as "Israeli security forces clash with a journalist during a rally to mark Jerusalem Day in Jerusalem's Old City, on May 29, 2022." pic.twitter.com/x6IlMVVWox

— rafael shimunov (@rafaelshimunov) May 30, 2022

Colonial Israeli settlers insult and provoke Palestine TV crew while covering the events in Bab Al-Amoud area, occupied Jerusalem. pic.twitter.com/OrQbJyeD3X

— PALESTINE ONLINE 🇵🇸 (@OnlinePalEng) May 29, 2022

The violence comes after another child was shot and killed by Israeli forces, 14-year-old Zaid Saeed Ghuneim, in the West Bank on Friday night,

This is the second killing of a minor by Israeli forces in less than a week, after a string of raids across the West Bank. While covering one of those raids, Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and killed by what the Palestinian Attorney General described as a targeted attack by Israeli soldiers.

According to the human rights group B'Tselem, Israeli forces also maintain an "open fire policy" across the West Bank, allowing the use of live ammunition to respond to even minor security incidents such as isolated rock throwing. The policy has resulted in several deaths, B'Tselem said, including two Palestinian teenagers shot and killed in Bethlehem in February of this year.

For a number of months, Israeli Jewish settlers have also been ascending to the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif (one of Islam's holiest sits) to pray with little problem; on Sunday, many of them waved Israeli flags and laid prostrate on the ground in prayer as the police looked on.