The Israeli occupation celebrates the anniversary of its completion of its control over the city of Jerusalem and its occupation of Al-Aqsa Mosque in June 1967, with an official national holiday called “Unification of Jerusalem” Day.

According to the Hebrew calendar, “Jerusalem’s Unification Day” is celebrated on August 28 of each year, which corresponds to June 5, 2024 this year according to the Gregorian calendar.

Since 1968, the occupation has been organizing what is known as the “Flag March” in Jerusalem, specifically around the walls of the Old City, to promote the Judaization of the city. This year, the “temple” groups, sponsored by the occupation government, are planning to storm the Old City and carry out massive mass incursions into the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.

This year, the “Flags March” begins from the vicinity of the Maman Allah Cemetery near Jaffa Street, west of Jerusalem, passing through Bab al-Jadid, then to Damascus Gate and from there into the Old City, reaching the Buraq Wall, located to the west of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.

During “Jerusalem Unification Day,” the occupation police turn the city of Jerusalem into a military barracks and threaten Jerusalemite merchants and force them to close their shops in order to evacuate the Old City and its markets for the settlers who stormed the Old City and Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Tens of thousands of settlers are planning to storm Damascus Gate Square, carrying Israeli flags, and dancing for hours before continuing their way to the Buraq Wall.

Jerusalemites confront the flag march by sit-in, demonstrate, and raise the Palestinian flag in the Bab al-Amoud area and its environs, but the occupation suppresses, pursues, and expels them by force.

It is worth noting that the Palestinian resistance thwarted the “Flags March” after it launched rocket salvoes towards Jerusalem on 5/18/2021, sparking the Battle of the “Sword of Jerusalem” between it and the occupation forces, which continued for several weeks, resulting in a decision by the occupation authorities to prevent raids on Al-Aqsa by settlers. For several weeks for the first time since the beginning of the series of raids on Al-Aqsa in 2003.