Tens of thousands of Israelis took part in a controversial flag march through Jerusalem's Old City on Sunday, after clashes erupted at a flashpoint holy site Palestinians.
Every year, nationalist Israelis hold the march to celebrate the Israeli conquest of East Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War.
The event - which passes through the Muslim quarter of the Old City - is viewed as highly provocative by Palestinians who claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future independent State.
Some groups of marchers were heard chanting racist slogans such as "Death to Arabs" and "Mohammed is dead," according to Israeli media, which put turnout at up to 50,000.
Thousands of Israeli security forces were placed on the highest level of alert, fearing an escalation of violence after weeks of flaring tensions in the region.
Before the afternoon march began Palestinian worshippers and some 2,600 Jewish visitors, some of them waving the blue and white flags of Israel, violently confronted each other on a hilltop holy site in Jerusalem, leading to several arrests.
The site is known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary). It is under Muslim administration, but Israel is responsible for security.
According to an agreement with the Muslim authorities, Jews and other non-Muslims may visit the facility but are not allowed to pray there or display national symbols.
Even before the march officially began numerous young Israelis were seen running through the quarter holding Israeli flags, with some clashing with Arabic traders. Rocks, chairs and bottles hurled at each other by the sides.
Islamist Hamas had warned of violent consequences in case of damage to the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque, which are located in the Noble Sanctuary/Temple Mount compound revered as the third holiest site in Islam.
Last year, the flag march marking Jerusalem Day on May 10 was called off because of rocket attacks by Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip.
Israel then retaliated, targeting the coastal trip, resulting in an 11-day conflict during which 255 Palestinians and 14 Israelis were killed.
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