The High Court of Justice on Sunday 28 Iyar, Jerusalem Day, accepted a petition filed by the left-wing Ir Amim organization in part. The petition requested to reroute the annual Flag Parade to prevent it from entering Shar Shechem and the so-called Muslim Quarter. As Ramadan is scheduled to begin on Sunday evening, Ir Amim officials feel the presence of the Jerusalem Day marchers is a provocation and offensive to the religious sensibilities of the Muslims.

The urgent petition was filed on Jerusalem Day morning. The court ruled that it will not reroute the parade as requested, but it will compel the Jewish marchers to leave the Muslim Quarter at 19:00. At 19:45 Islamic judges will announce if Ramadan begins on Sunday evening or perhaps, pushing it off to Monday evening 29 Iyar. Nevertheless, the court has banned Jerusalem Day observers from the Muslim Quarter beginning at 19:00

As such, police will restrict marchers from Kikar Tzahal in downtown Jerusalem beginning at 18:15 and at 19:00, the Shar Shechem area will be cleared of all parade participants.

The Flag Parade gets underway at 16:00 and at 17:15, marchers begin heading from downtown Jerusalem to the Kosel via Shar Shechem.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)