Violent Sunday

Mounted police stand between jewish
youths and arabs (in the background)

The Jerusalem Day march into East Jerusalem was everything everyone expected - violent. Literally tens of thousands of jewish youths gathered at Independence Park and marched down to the Old City at 6pm. Noticeably few (as in every year) were those over 25 yrs of age. It was a young affair ... and alot of youthful fury. The Supreme Court had allowed this march to pass through the Muslim Quarter ... which means, like last year, all muslim residents had to stay indoors for hours. All arab shops had to close. Last year the jewish youths beat up arabs in the streets and tried to burn their shops. This year the tension was more controlled as the police knew what to expect and were ready to nip anything in the bud. Despite the attempt to separate the Jews from the arabs - the latter were pushed back by mounted police and stun grenades some 50 metres away from Damascus Gate, Jewish youths pushed forward to confront the arabs. There were few altercations between them though.

Palestinian flag clashing
with Israeli flag

But like last year, the jewish youths attacked arab journalists. That situation was bad and the police should have learned from last year's attack. True they isolated the arab news reporters and cameramen behind barricades but they did not expect jewish youths to throw sticks and stones and eventually broke through the barricades to attack the journalists. It was a very nasty affair.

There were shouting matches between the 2 racial groups up on Suleiman Street, and flags of both nations were unfurled. Jewish youths attacked the Palestinian flag bearers, tried to tear the palestinian flag ... though no arab did that to the Israeli flag.

I sit through the whole thing for 4 hours ... like I did last year. Last year there was danger of being attacked ... this year I felt safer. But seeing the whole march and atmosphere of jews celebrating their unification of Jerusalem ( ... to the arabs it's the occupation of East Jerusalem) ... left alot to be pondered.