Under the shadow of millenary walls, Jerusalem has endured yet another chapter of an enforced coexistence, where the celebration of one side systematically becomes the humiliation of the other. The heart of the Old City has been transformed into a symbolic battlefield, where nationalist pride has overwhelmed the fragile daily existence of the occupied population. On the occasion of so-called “Jerusalem Day,” Yom Yerushalayim, on May 14, thousands of Israeli settlers marched waving national flags. The celebrations devolved into provocations and violence, marking the anniversary of 1967—the year that saw the occupation of the eastern part of the city, irrevocably altering the face of Jerusalem. Extremist settler fringes lashed out at Palestinian residents, leaving behind a trail of shattered storefronts and devastated shops. They targeted shop shutters in a clear act of intimidation, while racist chants echoed through the historic walls, all under the watch of security forces. The sanctity of the space offered no protection: from the spitting directed at a member of the Christian clergy to nationalist prayers held within the Al-Aqsa compound, the day saw every veil of interreligious respect stripped away, replacing worship with territorial assertion. Under the protection of occupation forces, numerous settlers, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex, raising the Israeli flag and intoning religious songs. An Israeli lawmaker present openly declared that “the time has come to demolish the site and build a Jewish temple in its place.” Meanwhile, Palestinian activist Mohammed Abu al-Hummus, who has documented human rights violations in the city for years, was expelled from the very Damascus Gate that the army had sealed off to facilitate the settlers’ passage. “They impose a siege and turn Jerusalem into a military outpost, claiming it is united—but it is united only by force,” al-Hummus stated. “As a Palestinian, it is my right to be at Damascus Gate. Jerusalem is Arab.” While the Holy Town remained under lockdown, Palestinians commemorated the 78th anniversary of the Nakba, the “Catastrophe”—the forced exodus of approximately 700,000 Palestinians from their homes during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, marking the loss of their land and the beginning of exile. In Zawayda, within the Gaza Strip, the anniversary was marked by tree plantings and traditional performances—a way to reclaim symbols and an act of hope for the future. “The Nakba is not just an image of displacement and pain; it is also years of struggle, resilience, and attachment to the land, from the Galilee to the Negev, from refugee camps to the diaspora. Our complete history is our weapon, and how we tell it determines how we see ourselves: resilient or defeated?” witnesses affirmed. Despite decades of occupation, the message remains firm: “During the Nakba and after it, the Palestinian people did not break. We have passed down the key, the dream, and the land, generation after generation, and so it shall continue.” Yet the tension extended far beyond Jerusalem. In the village of Jibiya, north of Ramallah, settlers set fire to vehicles and sprayed hostile graffiti, while in Al-Mughayir, they devastated cultivated fields by setting them ablaze. In Nablus, the army deployed snipers and drones during extensive search operations in the homes of the Old City. There, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich led hundreds of settlers in a nocturnal incursion into Joseph’s Tomb, declaring the intent to make the Israeli presence permanent in the heart of PA-administered territory: “Our presence here at Joseph’s Tomb, in the light of day, is a clear statement: the people of Israel are coming home to every part of their land.” The situation in Gaza and throughout the Strip grows increasingly tragic. Despite the ceasefire in effect since October 2025, the death toll in Gaza continues to rise. Zaher Al-Wahidi, from the Ministry of Health, reported that “April was the bloodiest month, as the casualty rate increased by over 50% compared to previous months.” As of May 14, 2026, the total toll since the beginning of the aggression in October 2023 has reached 72,744 dead and 172,588 wounded. Since the start of the truce alone, 857 new victims have been recorded.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in his celebratory speech for Jerusalem Day, praised the military operations, describing them as “unprecedented” blows dealt by the “lion cubs of Judah” to their enemies. Netanyahu claimed control over 60% of the Strip, aiming for 100% in a short time, and assured the recovery of all hostages “to the last one,” emphasizing that these results were achieved without territorial concessions: “We did not leave… and today we control.” The reality on the ground speaks of daily violations. Nickolay Mladenov, representing the “Board of Peace” for Gaza, admitted: “We have a ceasefire. It holds, but it is not perfect. It is far from perfection. There are violations every day, and some of them are very serious.”
In response to this escalation of violence, the European Union has finally approved sanctions against extremist settlers following the removal of the Hungarian veto. These include travel bans and asset freezes for three individuals and four organizations. “Violence and extremism bring consequences,” declared EU High Representative Kaja Kallas. However, doubts remain regarding the actual effectiveness of such measures while, on the ground, the bloodshed continues.
