Overview

• Thousands of Israeli nationalists marched through Jerusalem’s Old City on May 26, chanting “Death to Arabs” and confronting Palestinian residents against the backdrop of the Gaza war.
• National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir led a large visit to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and declared that Jews can now pray on the Temple Mount, overturning long-standing restrictions.
• A group of protesters including MK Yulia Malinovsky forcefully entered an East Jerusalem UNRWA compound, underscoring rising hostility toward Palestinian aid operations.
• Police deployed thousands of officers but faced criticism for partiality as some officers embraced marchers and only a handful of detentions were reported.
• Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used Jerusalem Day to pledge a united city under Israeli sovereignty even as most countries regard East Jerusalem as occupied territory.