Israelis march in east Jerusalem in test for new government

JERUSALEM — Hundreds of Israeli ultranationalists, some chanting “Death to Arabs”, paraded on Tuesday in east Jerusalem in a show of force that threatened to spark renewed violence just weeks after a war with Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. Palestinians in Gaza responded by launching incendiary balloons that caused at least 10 fires in southern Israel.

Early on Wednesday, Israeli aircraft carried out a series of airstrikes at militant sites in Gaza, the first such raids since a shaky ceasefire ended the war last month. There were no immediate reports of casualties in the airstrikes.

The march posed a test for Israel’s fragile new government as well as the tenuous truce that ended last month’s 11-day war between Israel and Hamas.

Palestinians consider the march, meant to celebrate Israel’s capture of east Jerusalem in 1967, to be a provocation. Hamas called on Palestinians to “resist” the parade, a version of which helped ignite last month’s 11-day Gaza war.

With music blaring, hundreds of Jewish nationalists gathered and moved in front of Damascus Gate.

Most appeared to be young men, and many held blueand-white Israeli flags as they danced and sang religious songs.

Picture: AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean Israeli Knesset member Bezalel Smotrich, centre, waves an Israeli flag together with other Jewish ultranationalists during the “Flags March” next to Damascus gate, outside Jerusalem’s Old City on Tuesday.

Picture: AP Jewish ultranationalists wave Israeli flags during the “Flags March” next to Damascus gate, outside Jerusalem’s Old City on Tuesday.