Concern for confrontations at the Flag March, Christian institutions will close: 'Residents live in fear'
Amid concerns of confrontations between participants of the march on Jerusalem Day and residents of the Muslim Quarter in the Old City, police emphasized they would operate with 'zero tolerance' against disturbances, and refused to…
Assessment
The annual Jerusalem Day flag march is poised to ignite fresh tensions in the Old City, with police adopting a zero tolerance posture while refusing coalition demands to open the Temple Mount. Lawmaker Kariv's call to reroute the march, citing three severe violence incidents in 2025, underscores how a ritualized display of sovereignty increasingly risks becoming a flashpoint for broader unrest. Christian institutions preemptively closing their doors signals that local residents, not just political actors, are bracing for confrontation. The key question is whether police can maintain order without escalating the very friction they aim to contain.