Jordan condemns Ben-Gvir’s Al-Aqsa entry as Jerusalem Day march sparks violence
The annual Flag March in occupied East Jerusalem saw ultranationalist marchers attack Palestinians and peace activists, while Jordan denounced the minister’s presence at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound as a breach of international law.
Israeli police arrested 13 individuals during the annual Jerusalem Day Flag March in occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City on 14 May 2026, as far-right marchers clashed with Palestinians and Jewish peace activists. The event, which commemorates the 1967 capture of the city, descended into violence before its official start, with ultranationalist participants, including many young teenagers, attacking people in the Christian Quarter and vandalising property.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir led a group into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, where he displayed an Israeli flag near the Dome of the Rock. Jordan’s Foreign Ministry condemned the entry as a “blatant violation of international law” and a “flagrant breach of the historical and legal status quo”. Jordan supervises the holy sites through the Jerusalem Waqf Department under a long-standing agreement.
Uri Weltmann, national field director for the Standing Together organisation, reported that fighting broke out early in the Christian Quarter. Israeli police forced Palestinian shop owners to close their businesses, while many others had already shut down due to fear of harassment. Weltmann and approximately 200 activists in purple vests attempted to stand between the marchers and Palestinians, but were frequently attacked themselves.
Marchers shouted slogans including “May your village burn” and “Death to Arabs”, and were filmed spitting at and hurling insults at Palestinians. Activists described the violence as increasingly extreme since October 2023, attributing the escalation to the rise of the Religious Zionism movement and its alignment with government support. Analysts note the movement has grown since Israel’s disengagement from Gaza in 2005 and has been exploited by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Likud party.
Researcher Eram Tzidkiyahu described the march as having a “deeply confrontational element”, aimed at celebrating victories in the living rooms of those who lost. Aviv Tatarsky of the Ir Amim activist group argued that Ben-Gvir is not an exception but representative of Israeli society in 2026, prioritising the removal of Palestinians. Israeli police have arrested 13 people, including both Jews and Palestinians, during the unrest.
