Iran Press/ Middle East: On the eve of the “flag day” march, tensions were running high all over the occupied territories, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip on Wednesday. They threatened to disrupt the ceasefire agreement between Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Tel Aviv, amid fears of violent clashes in Jerusalem al Quds.
Thursday afternoon’s march is an annual far-right parade of the Zionists on the anniversary of the occupation in 1967 of eastern Jerusalem al Quds and its subsequent occupation by the Zionist regime.
Between 100,000 and 200,000 Zionists are expected to take part in the march.
On Wednesday, the Zionist regime army strengthened its Iron Dome defense system over fears of rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip in response to the march.
The Zionist regime police ramped up security in eastern Jerusalem al Quds and the Old City, with military checkpoints set up along main roads and 3,000 personnel deployed to secure the route of the march.
The Zionist regime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his government would not alter the route of the controversial march and so it will pass through the Damascus Gate and the Old City.
The Palestinian Authority has said the decision not to reroute the march away from Jerusalem’s Old City was a deliberate provocation.
Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesperson for the PA, said the calls from extremists to storm Al-Aqsa would ignite the region, with dire consequences. He said Tel Aviv was fully responsible for the escalation in tensions that could lead to an explosion of violence.
Meanwhile, there were calls for Palestinians in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, Jerusalem al Quds, and inside the occupied territories to raise the Palestinian flag at all possible locations, and display it online, in response to Israel’s “flag day” provocations.
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