The Hamas terrorist movement called on Sunday for a Day of Rage to confront the long-awaited and controversial flag march on Tuesday, encouraging Palestinians to "mobilize" at al-Aqsa and the Old City of Jerusalem.
"Let next Tuesday be a day of mobilization and a bond towards al-Aqsa Mosque, and a day of anger and defiance of the occupier," said Hamas in a statement on Sunday. "Show God and your people what you have done in it, and be the best sword for Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa."
Palestinian Islamic Jihad also warned against carrying out the flag march, calling it a "provocative act and a dangerous escalation that affects our most sacred sanctities, and an aggression targeting all Arabs and Muslims." The movement called for a "general mobilization" by all Palestinians to "confront any aggression."
The PIJ called on Palestinians to go to al-Aqsa, the Damascus Gate, Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan as well on Tuesday.
Palestinian groups have also called on Palestinians to come en-masse to al-Aqsa for morning prayers on Tuesday morning. On Jerusalem Day, riots broke out in the early morning and continued until the afternoon when clashes broke out with the Gaza Strip.Jewish groups plan to march through the Old City of Jerusalem on Tuesday in a march similar to the Flag March traditionally conducted and originally planned on Jerusalem Day. This year, the traditional march was adjusted and then cancelled amid high tensions and then the breakout of Operation Guardian of the Walls.
The rescheduled march will set out from Hanevi’im Street and go through Sultan Suliman Street before arriving at the Damascus Gate, where group dancing with Israeli flags will take place. Participants will then march through the Jaffa Gate towards the Western Wall, with some groups going through the Muslim Quarter and other groups going through the Jewish Quarter.Ra'am head Mansour Abbas told Radio Nas on Monday that Ra'am is not a Zionist party and "would not hesitate" to express its position towards the flag march to the government.
Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist groups have warned against holding the march, threatening to reignite the conflict against Israel if the march takes place.
The Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reported on Monday that Palestinian terrorist groups were raising their level of alert ahead of the march in preparation for a possible renewal of conflict. The Hamas leadership has informed the Egyptian intelligence minister that the march would "definitely push the situation to explode" and lead the terrorist groups to fire rockets again, according to the report.
Palestinian terrorist groups called for the military arms of the Palestinian and Lebanese terrorist groups, as well as other militant groups in the region, to "declare a state of alert and readiness to defend Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque if necessary," according to the Hezbollah-affiliated Al Mayadeen news.Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah warned last week that any "reckless" actions in Jerusalem by Israel would result in a "regional war," adding that Hezbollah is in contact with “anyone who is willing to be part of this regional equation." Despite the threats, Hezbollah was largely silent during the last round of conflict, although a number of rockets were fired from Lebanon by unidentified parties.
"The time has come for Israel to threaten Hamas and not for Hamas to threaten Israel. The audacity of Hamas terrorists to repeatedly threaten Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem is the result of a failed police commissioner who surrendered to terrorism," said Otzma Yehudit leader Itamar Ben-Gvir in response to threats by Hamas.
"I expect the elected prime minister, Naftali Bennett, who has more than once participated in the flag dances, to stand firm despite the fact that he folded from all his ideology - we hope that at least a flag parade in Jerusalem still remains legitimate in his eyes," added Ben-Gvir.
It is unclear if Jews will be allowed to enter the Temple Mount complex on Tuesday. Although Jews are in general allowed to enter the complex at certain times of the day every day except for Friday, Saturday and most holidays, entrance could be barred if police see visits as a risk to security.
The Flag March was originally planned for last Thursday, but was delayed after police withdrew permission for the march to take place, due to security concerns. Right-wing politicians and groups expressed outrage at the decision, saying that officials had "surrendered to terrorism."
Police and event organizers met after former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz reached an agreement last week to allow the march to take place according to an outline agreed upon by police and event organizers.
Operation Guardian of the Walls was sparked after weeks of tensions surrounding the Temple Mount and planned evictions in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of east Jerusalem exploded on Jerusalem Day, when Hamas fired a number of rockets towards Jerusalem. After 11 days of rocket fire from Gaza towards southern and central Israel and intense IDF strikes on the Gaza Strip, a ceasefire was reached between Hamas and Israel.
Tobias Siegal and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.