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Jews Replace Israeli Flag with Palestinian One in al-Quds

TEHRAN (FNA)- Haredi ultra-orthodox Jews replaced the Israeli flag with a Palestinian one in Jerusalem al-Quds in protest against the 1948 creation of Israel.

A video circulated online showing young men from Neturei Karta, an anti-Zionist grouping of Haredi Jews, raising the Palestinian flag in the neighborhood of Mea She'arim on Thursday, presstv reported.

Clashes erupted between the youths and the Israeli forces who stormed the neighborhood to take down the flag.

Israel marks 5 Iyar in the Hebrew calendar (May 14, 1948) when it proclaimed existence. The day falls on April 15 this year.

The Nakba Day (or the Day of Catastrophe) is officially marked by Palestinians every year on May 15. The day marks eviction of Palestinians from their homeland.

Israel’s Channel 12 reported that members of Neturei Karta also burned Israeli flags during a demonstration in Jerusalem al-Quds on Thursday.

Separately, three Palestinians were hit with rubber bullets fired by Israeli forces at anti-settlement protesters in the village of Beit Dajan, east of Nablus City, on Friday.

Israeli troops also attacked a weekly anti-settlement protest in the village of Kafr Qaddum in the occupied West Bank. A Palestinian man was hit with a rubber bullet during the ensuing clashes.

Palestinians want the West Bank as part of a future independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem al-Quds as its capital.

Palestinian sources said 70,000 worshipers performed Friday prayers at al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam, in occupied East Jerusalem al-Quds on the first Friday of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. Israeli troops barred many more from entering al-Quds.

Earlier this week, Palestinians said Israelis broke into four mosque minarets and cut wires to prevent the call for prayers being broadcast on loudspeakers.