Israeli occupiers swept through the narrow streets of East Jerusalem on Thursday, chanting "Death to Arabs" and "May your villages burn" during a controversial march to mark the city's occupation, while many Palestinian residents remained barricaded indoors.
Over the years, the so-called Flag March has repeatedly descended into violence, with groups of young ultranationalists targeting Palestinians with racist chants, intimidation and assaults.
Israel's occupation of East Jerusalem, home to a predominantly Palestinian population, in 1967 or its annexation in 1980, is not recognized by the United Nations.
Palestinians, who seek East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, say Israel has intensified efforts for decades to Judaize the city, including Al-Aqsa Mosque, and erase its Arab and Islamic identity.
This year's march comes against the backdrop of the Iran war and a cease-fire in Gaza, where the Israeli genocidal campaign has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, since early October 2023.
