Palestinians Protest "Flag March" in Gaza Strip
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip organized a demonstration against the controversial "flag march," which they perceive as a highly provocative act.
Reports on Thursday indicated that Israeli forces attacked Palestinian protesters near the eastern borders of Gaza City, resulting in several injuries. The Israeli forces deployed live fire and tear gas against the demonstrators while far-right Israelis conducted the "flag march" in the Old City of occupied East Jerusalem al-Quds.
The protest in Gaza was called for by Palestinian factions in response to the Israeli provocation. Participants voiced their condemnation of the "flag march" in East Jerusalem al-Quds and demanded an end to Israeli attacks in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Similar protests took place in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus in solidarity with al-Quds.
The annual flag march commemorates Israel's occupation of the West Bank and al-Quds in 1967. It is organized by far-right Israeli settlers within the al-Aqsa Mosque compound. The march aims to assert their presence in the occupied Palestinian city and its holy sites while criticizing what they perceive as the Tel Aviv regime's inadequate response to the Palestinians.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) had previously warned that holding the demonstration would escalate tensions in the occupied territories, holding Israel fully responsible for any potential escalation. A spokesperson for the Islamic Jihad movement asserted that the Israeli regime cannot defeat Palestinians through these measures, emphasizing that the Palestinian resistance will persist until Israel is no longer in existence. Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of the Hamas resistance movement, also commented on the issue, highlighting that the regime's massive deployment of security forces in al-Quds signifies its fear of Palestinian acts of resistance.
Meanwhile, Israeli lawmakers are pushing a new bill that would make the display of the Palestinian flag punishable by up to one year in prison, representing the latest crackdown by the far-right Israeli administration. The Israeli Knesset has already given preliminary approval to the bill, which requires three additional votes to pass. Since assuming office, the current Israeli cabinet, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has introduced a series of legislation aimed at appeasing the far-right society in the occupied territories.
The Islamic resistance movement Hamas strongly criticized the Israeli parliament's plan to ban Palestinian flags from public spaces. In a statement, Hamas condemned the bill, viewing it as evidence of the regime's commitment to its fascist agenda and a declaration of war against Palestinians.
The movement emphasized that the bill will not intimidate Palestinians but rather encourage them to proudly carry and raise their national flag, which represents their identity everywhere.
Hamas also called upon the international community and the United Nations to condemn Israeli atrocities against the Palestinian people.