Tens of Thousands March Around Old City to Celebrate Jerusalem Day

The Fellowship | May 24, 2017

ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN-CONFLICT-JERUSALEM — Far right Israeli supporters wave the Israeli flag as they demonstrate on May 24, 2017 in front of Damascus Gate in Jerusalem's Old City to commemorate Jerusalem Day, marking the establishment of Israeli control over the Old City following its capture in the Six-Day War of 1967. / AFP PHOTO / Thomas COEX (Photo credit should read THOMAS COEX/AFP/Getty Images)

As the people of Israel – and those who stand for her – celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Holy City’s reunification today, thousands of people took part in the annual Jerusalem Day Flag March. The Times of Israel reports on this annual tradition, which saw singing throngs march around the Old City:

This year delegations from around the world participated in the annual parade, known as the Jerusalem Day Flag March. Led by predominantly religious Zionist teenagers decked in white and blue, the colors of the Israeli flag, groups from around the world sang and danced in colorful costumes as they marched from the center of the new city to the Old City.

Wednesday’s celebration of Jerusalem Day marked 50 years since the reunification of the city in 1967, according to the Hebrew calendar.

According to the Western calendar, Israeli paratroopers advanced through the Old City and took the Temple Mount and Western Wall — Judaism’s most venerated sites — on June 7, 1967.

Jews had been banned from visiting these sites, under Jordanian rule, since 1948.

More than 80,000 people took part in the Jerusalem Day event, culminating in celebrations at the Western Wall, police said, up from between 30,000 to 40,000 in previous years…