Israeli police on high alert ahead of nationalistic march in Jerusalem

JERUSALEM, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Israeli security forces were on high alert on Sunday morning ahead of a contentious Jewish nationalist march through East Jerusalem's Old City.

"We are today in the peak of preparedness for the events, with most of our operational forces deployed with vigilance and on high alert," Police Chief Yaakov Shabtai said in a statement after a meeting with the district commanders of the Jerusalem police.

The police said that some 3,000 police officers were deployed in Jerusalem, mainly around the Old City's Damascus Gate, where the annual flags parade is planned to pass.

Israeli state-owned Kan TV news reported that the military deployed anti-rocket Iron Dome batteries across Israel.

On Sunday morning, clashes erupted in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem as ultra-nationalist Israeli lawmaker Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the flashpoint holy site accompanied by hundreds of far-right supporters.

Later, Palestinians barricaded themselves inside the mosque and hurled rocks and fireworks toward the police. The police said that "several" Palestinians were arrested.

Some 1,800 Jewish visitors arrived at the compound in the morning hours and more are expected to arrive in the afternoon, according to the police.

The march is planned to pass through Jerusalem's Old City, an area at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israel annexed the East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war, a move not recognized by the majority of the international community. The Palestinians consider East Jerusalem the capital of their future state.

In 2021, the parade incited tensions that sparked 11-day deadly fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.