Israeli forces attack Palestinians protesting against ‘flag march’ in Gaza
Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip have held a demonstration against the so-called "flag march," which they view as a highly provocative act.
Reports said on Thursday that Israeli forces have attacked the Palestinian protesters near the eastern borders of Gaza City and injured several of them.
Israeli forces used live fire and tear gas against the protesters, injuring several of them, as far-right Israelis held the “flag march” in occupied East Jerusalem al-Quds’s Old City.
The protest in Gaza was called for by Palestinian factions in response to the Israeli provocation.
The demonstrators condemned the “flag march” in East Jerusalem al-Quds, and called for an end to Israeli attacks in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
Similar protests were also held in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus in support of al-Quds.
The annual flag march marks Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and al-Quds in 1967. It is organized by far-right Israeli settlers at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied al-Quds.
The march is also an attempt by extremist Israeli settlers to slam what they call the Tel Aviv regime’s failure to deal with the Palestinians and affirm their presence in the occupied Palestinian city and its holy sites.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) earlier warned that holding the demonstration would fuel tensions in the occupied territories and Israel will be fully responsible for any possible escalation.
A spokesman for the Islamic Jihad movement also said the Israeli regime cannot defeat Palestinians through these measures.
He said the Palestinians’ fight against the regime won’t stop unless Israel is wiped off the map.
Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of the Hamas resistance movement, commented on the issue as well.
He said the regime’s massive deployment of security forces to al-Quds shows it is fearful of acts of resistance by Palestinians.
Meanwhile, Israeli legislators are pushing a new bill that would see the display of the Palestinian flag punishable by up to one year in prison in the latest crackdown by the far-right Israeli administration.
The Israeli Knesset (parliament) has already voted on preliminary approval of the bill, and it will need three additional votes to pass.
Ever since taking office earlier this year as the most right-wing administration in the Israeli regime’s history, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet has introduced a raft of legislation aimed at appeasing the far-right society in the occupied territories.
The Islamic resistance movement Hamas censured the Israeli parliament’s plan to ban Palestinian flags from public places.
Hamas in a statement said the bill shows the insistence of the regime on its fascist agenda and is a declaration of war against Palestinians.
It added, the bill will not scare Palestinians, but will rather encourage them to carry and raise their national flag which represents their identity everywhere.
Hamas also called on the international community and the UN to condemn Israeli atrocities against Palestinian people.
