GAZA CITY, GAZA STRIP (AP) – The ruling Hamas group in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday called on Palestinians to confront a flag-waving parade planned by Jewish nationalists through the main Palestinian thoroughfare in Jerusalem’s Old City.
The comments by Hamas added to the already heightened tensions ahead of the march and threatened to reignite fighting between Israel and Palestinian groups in Gaza, just days after a cease-fire took hold.
Two years ago, an 11-day war between Israel and Hamas erupted during the annual march.
While Hamas stayed out of the latest round of fighting, officials with the ruling group urged Palestinians to oppose the parade.
“We ask the people of Jerusalem to mobilise the masses to confront the march of the flags in Jerusalem,” said a Hamas official in Gaza Mushir al-Masri.
Hamas also urged Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and inside Israel to “clash with the occupation” and said it would hold a demonstration with Palestinian flags along Gaza’s heavily fortified frontier with Israel.
The parade is meant to mark “Jerusalem Day”, Israel’s annual celebration of its capture of east Jerusalem, including the Old City and its holy sites, in the 1967 Mideast war. Israel considers the entire city to be its eternal capital.
But the international community does not recognise Israel’s annexation of east Jerusalem.
While the Palestinians claim the area as the capital of a future state.
Israelis describe the parade as a festive event.
But in past years, it has been marred by anti-Arab chants and violence towards local Palestinians by some of the marchers.
