The number of police deployed in the Shiloach (Silwan) area of the eastern capital must compel one to ponder who is really in charge here as hundreds of policemen were on hand to permit 30 Jews to march in the area with Israeli flags and to leave unharmed, in the capital of the nation.

Disturbances were limited to a number of isolated incidents, which ultimately resulted in two policemen sustaining light injuries, and damage to a number of vehicles. Between 20 and 30 participants marched according to police, walking 700 meters, from the Givati parking lot near the Kosel to the Arab neighborhood of the capital. The large police force was visible on Sunday morning, hours ahead of the 10:00am scheduled start of the march. Participants carried signs and flags, and the event passed quickly, with officials reporting a number of ‘minor incidents’, including rock-throwing from the left-wing protest tent. One person threw water at marchers as well. One policeman was treated on the scene for light injuries from rocks, and a second, also in light condition, was transported to Shaare Zedek Medical Center.

Police prevented left-wingers from marching as they hoped to do. They shouted at the right-wingers, carrying signs stating they will not permit Jerusalem to become another Chevron. They carried signs that efforts to Judaize Jerusalem are a crime against humanity”.

In his remarks to the media, organizer Itamar Ben-Givir stated the march was a success, since he and his colleagues made the point they set out to make. During the march, Arabs and left-wings cursed them, with Arab residents of the capital standing on rooftops yelling ‘Ala Akbar’, some throwing rocks, other spitting on the Israeli flag, and other waving PLO flags. He pointed out that “just last week” the chareidim came under attack for defacing the national flag but here, no one dares to open their mouths when Arabs do it, Israeli citizens living in the capital.

Some Peace Now activists decried the “fascism” and accused the event organizers and participants of seeking to sabotage the visit of US Mideast envoy George Mitchell. Yariv Oppenheim, the organization’s director called the march a “dangerous provocation”.

Ben-Givir questioned why when left-wing secularists protest on Shmuel HaNavi Street on shabbos, praising the democratic system that permits them to do so, to challenge the closure of streets on shabbos, the champions of peace do not label such events “a dangerous provocation”.

He explained that democracy in Israel seems to be for the left-wing only, and when the right-wing uses it to advance its agenda, it becomes a “provocation”.

Ben-Givir also expressed the significance of the timing, during Mitchell’s visit, to send a clear message to US President Barak Obama that Israel is in charge regarding Jerusalem.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)