Israel deployed over 2,000 police on Thursday ahead of the traditional flag march in Jerusalem's Old City to celebrate its reunification in 1967, two years after the event was marred by terrorist rocket fire.
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Authorities say the beefed-up security is a determined effort to ensure the march passes without violence.
Police have decided to allow the thousands of marchers to take the traditional route through the Old City's Damascus Gate despite an uptick in Israeli-Palestinian violence over the past year and heavy fighting between Israel and Palestinian terrorists in Gaza last week.
Early Thursday, hundreds of Jews were ascending to the Temple Mount. Among them was at least one Israeli cabinet minister from the country's right-wing government, according to Jewish activists leading the visits.
Two years ago, an 11-day flare-up between Israel and Palestinian terrorists in Gaza began after the march due to Hamas launching provocative rocket fire. The terrorist group has urged Palestinians to confront the parade this year.
Chief Supt. Yoram Segal, a senior Jerusalem police official, told reporters Wednesday that authorities were determined to prevent violence this time around. He said some 2,500 officers were being deployed throughout the area, both to ensure safety and to react quickly toward any potential violence.
"We are going to deal harshly with anyone who tries to disturb the peace," he said. He said past troubles were caused by a tiny minority of people, but said there would be no tolerance for incitement or violence that could "endanger the people that are along the route or living along the route."
Segal said police have been working "hand in hand" with Jewish and Palestinian community leaders to keep things peaceful. He also confirmed that there had been a number of pre-emptive arrests of people who were believed to be planning violent disruptions. He declined to elaborate.
On Wednesday, Gaza's ruling Hamas terrorist group called on Palestinians to oppose the parade. "We ask the people of Jerusalem to mobilize the masses to confront the march of the flags in Jerusalem tomorrow," said Mushir al-Masri, a Hamas official in Gaza.
Hamas urged Palestinians in the West Bank and inside Israel to "clash with the occupation." It also said it would hold a demonstration, with people waving Palestinian flags along Gaza's heavily fortified frontier with Israel. Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for the Palestinian president, said allowing the march to snake through the Palestinian areas of the Old City "will only lead to a rise in tension and could lead to an explosion."
In a test ahead of the parade, about 300 Jews were visiting Jerusalem's most sensitive holy site early Thursday, according to Beyadenu, an activist group that promotes Jewish visits to the site. Police were seen escorting groups of Jewish visitors walking through the compound and several coalition lawmakers also arrived at the site.
Under longstanding arrangements cemented by the High Court of Justice, Jews are permitted to visit the site but not pray there. The parade comes as fighting in the West Bank and east Jerusalem is at its highest level in two decades. It also comes just days after a ceasefire took effect ending five days of heavy fighting between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist group in Gaza.
Hamas stayed on the sidelines during the fighting, and Israel avoided attacking the group in an effort by both sides to contain the violence. But if unrest erupts in Jerusalem, Hamas could enter the fray.
"The resistance is ready to protect Al-Aqsa Mosque and prevent the Judaization of Jerusalem," al-Masri said.
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