Police block flag march led by MK Ben-Gvir • Bennett must respond to rocket attacks on southern Israel, Sderot mayor says
IDF late on Wednesday struck a site belonging to Palestinian factions in central Gaza, according to Palestinian reports, shortly after a rocket was fired towards Sderot, southern Israel on Wednesday night.
תיעוד ירי הרקטה לשדרות (באדיבות משתלת בן בן מושב נתיב עשרה) pic.twitter.com/m3RGDqpo77
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The rocket landed on and damaged a home in Sderot, Israel Police said. No bodily injuries were reported, although a number of patients were treated for anxiety.
Sappers were handling a rocket fragment found at the scene along with Israel Fire and Rescue Services firefighting crews who arrived at the scene following reports of smoke seen coming out of the building.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett must respond to the attack, Sderot mayor Alon Davidi said at the scene. “It was a miracle no one was hurt. It is the government’s responsibility to ensure Sderot residents can enjoy the Passover holiday in peace,” the mayor added.
In Sheikh Jarrah, Jews and Arabs clashed near the light rail, with video showing Jews throwing objects and water on Arabs who were riding on the light rail. According to the Jerusalem Red Crescent, at least one person was injured after being hit and sprayed with pepper spray.
In the Muslim Quarter, Jews carrying Israeli flags confronted Israeli security forces while Arab children threw stones at them.
Video from a separate incident in the Old City also showed Jews and Israeli soldiers running and coughing, allegedly after pepper spray was sprayed. The background of that incident is as of yet unclear.
Right-wing activists also attacked an Arab restaurant owner in the Old City on Wednesday evening.
Israel Police blocked Otzma Yehudit head Itamar Ben-Gvir and hundreds of right-wing activists from reaching the Damascus Gate to hold a flag march on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett had earlier ordered a ban on Ben-Gvir from entering the Damascus Gate. Police blocked the road from Jaffa Road to the Damascus Gate with barricades and trucks in order to stop the march. Participants in the march scuffled with police in an attempt to break through the barricades and reach the gate, but many eventually decided to enter the Old City through the Jaffa Gate instead.
“I have no intention to allow petty politics to endanger human lives. I won’t allow Ben-Gvir’s political provocation to endanger IDF soldiers and Israel Police officers,” Bennett said of the far-right lawmaker.
The decision came at the recommendation of Public Security Minister Omer Bar-Lev, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), and the police.
“The annual flag march will take place on its regular date, Jerusalem Day,” Bennett promised.
The prime minister said that Israeli soldiers and police officers must “continue to focus on protecting the citizens of Israel and determinedly flighting Palestinian terror.”
Ben Gvir expressed outrage at Bennett’s order, saying “I don’t take orders from Bennett, Bar Lev and the Shura Council.”
“A day after closing the Temple Mount to Jews under the direction of the Shura Council, Prime Minister Bennett has finally divided Jerusalem and banned the raising of the Israeli flag,” said Ben Gvir. “After he abandoned policemen and civilians, he became a dictator who violates the freedom of movement of Knesset members, in violation of the Immunity Law for Knesset members Bennett is trying to do a spin on my back.”
After failing to reach the Damascus Gate, Ben-Gvir announced that he would establish a temporary office at the IDF Square near the Jaffa Gate for the night. The MK claimed that police refused to show him the order banning him from reaching the Damascus Gate.
A small group of Jews managed to get to the Damascus Gate from within the Old City and began clashing with Arabs at the site. Security forces quickly arrived at the scene and escorted the Jews out of the area.
“The arrival of MK Ben-Gvir at the Damascus Gate at this time with the aim of placing his bureau there is a provocation that will be a catalyst for security deterioration, to the point of endangering the entire region,” said Bar Lev. “Just his arriving there endangers the security of the country, and even causes the police – which is stretched to the limit to continue to maintain order and security – to divert its efforts to unnecessary tasks at this time. Therefore, the prevention of this provocation by MK Ben Gvir was my recommendation to the prime minister after the assessment of the situation I held.”
Israel Police had declined a request by right-wing activists to hold the march in Jerusalem’s Old City on Wednesday afternoon after the organizers reneged on an agreed-upon alternative route, the police said on Wednesday morning.
The organizers of the march stressed on Wednesday afternoon that despite the lack of police approval they would arrive at the Damascus Gate and march with Israeli flags in the Muslim Quarter and other parts of the Old City.
Arab and Palestinian activists and news sites called on social media for supporters to arrive at the Damascus Gate on Wednesday afternoon to clash with Jewish marchers.
Hamas warned in a statement on Wednesday afternoon that Israel would bear “full responsibility for the repercussions of the flag march and the dangerous and provocative measures.” The Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement announced that the Palestinian factions were entering a “state of alert.”
Clashes broke out on the Temple Mount on Wednesday morning for the fifth day in a week, with Arabs throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails at police who were securing the site for Jewish visitors.
1,538 Jews visited the Temple Mount on Wednesday, according to the Joint Headquarters of Temple Mount Organizations. Overall, a record 3,813 Jewish visitors arrived at the site during the Passover holiday.
Content retrieved from: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-704709.