Protesters burn Israeli flag in London Temple Mount demonstration

A protest held in the British capital a day after three Israelis were murdered in their home at the West Bank turned especially violent.

By TAMARA ZIEVE
Updated: JULY 24, 2017 03:07
Demonstrators burn an Israeli national flag during an anti-Israel protest (photo credit: REUTERS)
Demonstrators burn an Israeli national flag during an anti-Israel protest
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Anti-Israeli protesters purportedly stole, burned and trampled on an Israeli flag belonging to a counter-protester while demonstrating against new security measures at the entrance to the Temple Mount complex in Jerusalem, at an event held outside the Israeli Embassy in London on Saturday.
Embassy staff were not present since the protest was held on Shabbat, but embassy spokesman Yiftach Curiel told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday that the protest was “a sickening display of support for terror.”
“Outside our embassy today, thugs stomp on an Israeli flag, while others fly flags of Hezbollah terror group, cheering on the bloodshed,” he tweeted.

“Disgraceful scenes outside @israelinuk yesterday as pro-Palestinian, Hezbollah flag-carrying thugs burn the flag of only democracy in M.E.,” tweeted the Sussex Friends of Israel group.

Protesters also waved Palestinian and Turkish flags, a well as pictures of al-Aksa Mosque. Cries of “Allahu akbar” can be heard in video footage of the protest.
On Wednesday, the Palestinian Forum in Britain posted an invitation to the event on its Facebook page, under the banner: “Emergency Protest against Israeli aggressions in Jerusalem.”
The notice beneath read: “Israeli government has closed al-Aksa Mosque, imposed tight security check on worshipers as part of its plans to seize the holy Muslim site.”
Israeli authorities temporarily closed the complex following the murder of two Israeli policemen on July 14. They reopened the compound a couple of days later, but introduced metal detectors, sparking outrage across the Muslim world.
The demonstration in London came a day after a Palestinian terrorist murdered three Jews at their dinner table in the Halamish settlement on Friday night.
At least four Palestinians were killed in clashes with Israeli forces in demonstrations since Friday, including one on Saturday night in the village of Eizariya.
Anti-Israel demonstrations were reportedly held in Berlin, New York and across Turkey over the weekend.