The Israeli head of Public Security, Omer Barlev, gave the green light last week to the traditional route that crosses the Damascus Gate and passes through the Muslim quarter until reaching the so-called Western or Wailing Wall, the holiest place in Judaism.

“The so-called March of the Flags is a despicable provocation,” Arab-Israeli MP Walid Taha told the Maariv newspaper.

Environment Minister Tamar Zandberg said for her part that the march endangers the lives of Israelis and Palestinians. “We are all its victims,” said the official, a member of the Meretz party, which defends understanding between the two peoples.

Deputy Economy Minister and member of Meretz, Yair Golan, spoke to the 103FM radio station, denounced that this event has turned into a nationalist demonstration, accompanied by calls to “kill the Arabs.”

The Arab-Israeli legislator Mazen Ghanaim, also criticized the march. “If you enter the Muslim Quarter it is a provocation. They are not going to throw flowers at the residents of Jerusalem,” the deputy told the Israel Hayom newspaper.

His colleague Ahmad Tibi described the event as a “provocation of arsonists”.

Both the government and Palestinian militias criticized the parade and warned of consequences.

According to the Tel Aviv authorities, some 3,000 police and military will protect the marchers.

Every year the Palestinians who live in the area must lock themselves in their houses and paralyze commercial and economic life due to the physical and verbal attacks of the participants, according to numerous complaints.

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