Thousands of Israelis march outside the old city of Jerusalem on
May 20, 2012, as they celebrate Jerusalem Day when Israel
illegally annexed East Jerusalem — the Arab sector — in 1967.
Israeli police arrested several Palestinian demonstrators
(bottom) throughout the day. (Getty Images) Jerusalem Day is not
a celebration of a unified city, but rather a show of Israeli
power, a reminder for the Palestinians that Jerusalem is an
occupied city where non-Jewish residents don’t count. Every
year, Jerusalem Day brings a depressing shadow over East
Jerusalem. While Israelis celebrate the “liberation” of the
city, Palestinians mourn the beginning of a long journey of
oppression and occupation. On Jerusalem Day, tens of thousands
of Israelis right-wing activists are allowed to parade in the
streets, Palestinians are told close their shops, remain in
their homes and not bother the celebration. Every year’s
celebration of Jerusalem Day is full of provocation and attacks
on the local Palestinian population. In this video,