Thousands of mostly young Israelis marched through Jerusalem’s Old City during the annual Jerusalem Day parade, while many Palestinians stayed indoors and kept their shops closed.
Israelis participate in the annual Jerusalem Day march in Jerusalem, May 14, 2026. (Photo: REUTERS/Amir Cohen)
15 May 2026 01:36AM
JERUSALEM: Israeli nationalists swept through the narrow streets of Jerusalem's Old City on Thursday (May 14), chanting "Death to Arabs" and "May your villages burn" during the annual Jerusalem Day march, while many Palestinian residents remained barricaded indoors.Every year, tens of thousands of Israelis - many of them teenagers and young adults - parade through Jerusalem to celebrate what Israeli authorities call the "reunification" of Jerusalem following Israel's capture and annexation of East Jerusalem in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.The annexation of east Jerusalem, home to a predominantly Palestinian population, is not recognised by the United Nations, which considers it illegal under international law.Over the years, the annual march has repeatedly descended into violence, with groups of mostly young ultranationalists targeting Palestinians with racist chants, intimidation and assaults.This year's march comes against the backdrop of the Iran war and a ceasefire in Gaza, which sees near-daily violations.By late morning, most Palestinian shopkeepers in the Old City had pulled down their metal shutters and deserted the stone alleyways, an AFP correspondent reported.A handful of shops remained open under the protection of activists from the Israeli-Palestinian grassroots movement Standing Together, who deployed across the Old City in an effort to shield Palestinian residents and businesses from harassment and attacks.
