Jerusalem Day Flag March to pass through Muslim Quarter amid heightened tensions in Old City
Israel’s capital grows to twice the size of Tel Aviv, is 10% of whole population
The annual flag march in honor of Jerusalem Day will follow its usual route, passing through the Old City’s Muslim Quarter on the way to the Western Wall, Israel Police said in a statement on Monday.
The Jerusalem Day flag parade on Wednesday will feature two possible routes, both starting in downtown Jerusalem and ending at the Western Wall, with an alternative route leading around the Old City’s southern wall and through the Dung Gate.
In past years, the march, which celebrates the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967 – and mainly observed by religious and ultra-Orthodox Jews – has led to altercations with the Arab population in the Old City
The police urged participants and the general public to follow instructions, "avoid any physical or verbal violence, and allow the event to proceed safely while strictly adhering to law and order. Any disruptions or acts of violence will be dealt with firmly by the police.”
In 2021, the march route was changed after Hamas used it as a pretext to begin the 11-day conflict, Operation Guardian of the Walls
The route remained unchanged in the years since, leading from western Jerusalem through the formerly Jordanian part of the city to the Western Wall.
More than 3,000 officers will reportedly be deployed in and around the Old City and large parts of Jerusalem will be blocked for traffic during the parade.
On Monday, an alternative “March for Peace” attended by about 200 people – and led by an interfaith coalition of rabbis, Druze sheiks and priests – protested against this year's Jerusalem Day march.
It has become a “symbol of violence and occupation” over the past years, characterized by hateful chants and violence towards Palestinians, the March for Peace participants told The Times of Israel.
“We decided to create a joint march that sends the opposite message, one of peace, justice and equality,” said the director of “Rabbis for Human Rights,” Avi Dabush, who survived Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre on Kibbutz Nirim.
The Israeli capital continues to grow and maintain its status as the nation's largest city, according to statistics published ahead of Jerusalem Day.
One in ten Israelis is a Jerusalemite, with the city’s population now exceeding 1 million, nearly double that of the second-largest city, Tel Aviv. Of this population, 600,000 are Jewish and 390,000 are Arab.
About 29% of the residents of Jerusalem are ultra-Orthodox, representing about half of the Jews in the city.
Among Jews aged 20 and over in Jerusalem, 36% define themselves as ultra-Orthodox, 21% as religious, 24% as traditional and 17% as secular.
The high proportion of ultra-Orthodox and Arab residents in Jerusalem contributes to an exceptionally high fertility rate – with an average of 3.68 children per woman significantly above the national average of 2.89.
According to statistics, a large majority of Jerusalemites are satisfied with their lives in the capital, with approximately 93% of Jews and 86% of Arabs expressing contentment.
Last year, Jerusalem was the leading tourism destination in the country. The number of overnight stays in the city stood at 2,735,400 – a number that has cratered due to the ongoing war.
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The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
