Police and army brace for Palestinian outbreaks over Jerusalem flag parade

The police have made preparations for the annual Jerusalem Day flag parade to go forward on Tuesday, after two delays, through the streets of the Old City of Jerusalem. The military are ranged en masse on the Gaza Strip border after Hamas threatened fresh attacks in reprisal.

The incoming public security minister Omar Barlev announced on Monday night, on his first day in office, that the cabinet had decided to hold the event. “Jerusalem is Israel’s eternal capital,” he said./, “In a democracy such parades and other such [national] events are important, so long as they comply with police rules and obey the law.”

IDF chief of staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, reported that, while the IDF was not part of the Jerusalem event, the Palestinian arena was tense and the military was braced for a new round of warfare.