Itongadol.- Police and organizers have reached an agreement to alter the schedule of the “flag parade” for Jerusalem Day, in order to avoid tension with Arab East Jerusalemites planning to celebrate Ramadan.
According to the agreement, entrance to Damascus Gate will be allowed for marchers only from 5:30pm up until 6:30 pm, after which anyone who arrives at the gate will be diverted to Jaffa Gate. Representatives sent by the parade organizers will be the ones responsible for enforcing the restriction.
Police said the motive behind the decision was that the earlier the marchers enter the Muslim Quarter, the more likely that they will make their way to the Western Wall before Muslim worshipers began to walk to the Temple Mount.
According to Ch. Supt. Asi Aharoni, the spokesperson for the Jerusalem Police District, some of the confusion about the event had to do with uncertainty about when exactly Ramadan will begin. If it begins Sunday night there is a possibility for an overlap with Jewish marchers, bringing with it a potential for violence.
He said that the decision was made “not to alter the date of the parade or its route, but to change the time it begins in order to lessen the chance that Jewish marchers and Muslim worshipers will clash with one another.”
The “flag dance” portion of Jerusalem Day has for years been highly popular with right-wing Israelis, who run through the Muslim Quarter to the Western Wall, chanting and singing and waving Israeli flags. Many sing racist chants such as “Muhammed is dead” and “death to the Arabs”, and Arab residents of the Muslim quarter are typically instructed to stay indoors until after the procession passes in order to avoid violence.
Betty Herschman, director of international advocacy for the Israeli NGO “Ir Amim” said that the flag march through the Old City is always problematic, but especially this year due to Ramadan. She said she doesn’t believe that the schedule changes made by police will make a difference and said that the confluence of the nationalist flag march and Ramadan eve only intensifies the potential violence in the city.”
She also said that while the parade “already includes a great violation of Palestinian freedom of movement and right to protection, now there is also a violation of their religious freedom and their right to prepare for their major holiday.”
A spokesman for Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat forwarded questions about security concerns for the event to the Jerusalem District Police.