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Thousands of mostly young Israelis marched through Jerusalem’s Old City during the annual Jerusalem Day parade, while many Palestinians stayed indoors and kept their shops closed.

Israelis participate in the annual Jerusalem Day march in Jerusalem, May 14, 2026. (Photo: REUTERS/Amir Cohen)

JERUSALEM: Israeli nationalists swept through the narrow streets of Jerusalem's Old City on Thursday (May 14), chanting "Death to Arabs" and "May your villages burn" during the annual Jerusalem Day march, while many Palestinian residents remained barricaded indoors.

Every year, tens of thousands of Israelis - many of them teenagers and young adults - parade through Jerusalem to celebrate what Israeli authorities call the "reunification" of Jerusalem following Israel's capture and annexation of East Jerusalem in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.

The annexation of east Jerusalem, home to a predominantly Palestinian population, is not recognised by the United Nations, which considers it illegal under international law.

Over the years, the annual march has repeatedly descended into violence, with groups of mostly young ultranationalists targeting Palestinians with racist chants, intimidation and assaults.

This year's march comes against the...