At least 17 Palestinians were arrested. According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, 33 Palestinians were injured in the clashes.
eviction
The rally was originally scheduled for May 10, marking Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem in 1967. Due to tensions, the march was prematurely aborted. However, Hamas fired rockets into Jerusalem that day, followed by 11 days of Israeli military bombardment of Gaza and more rocket launches by Hamas.
One cause of the tensions is the proposed eviction of four Palestinian families in an Arab neighborhood in Jerusalem. The Israeli Supreme Court will soon consider whether Palestinian families can appeal the deportation decision.
Test the new government الحكومة
The rally poses a challenge to Israel’s new prime minister, right-wing nationalist Naftali Bennett. Despite fears that the rally might spark new unrest, a ban was not an option for the new government. This will be seen in right-wing nationalist circles as a bow to Hamas.
The Israeli parliament voted in favor of the new ruling coalition last Sunday, without ex-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party. The coalition is made up of parties covering most of the political spectrum, including a small Arab party.
