It is Essential not to Reward Terrorists

Hamas and their fellow travelers regard last year’s rerouting of the Jerusalem flag parade as an important symbolic victory and this is why they are making threats this year despite the Jerusalem flag parade in its usual route being a tradition going back to the years after the 1967 Six Day War. The terrorists have decided to create deterrence in determining that the flag parade is somehow “provocative” despite it having a pedigree of over half a century. It is most regrettable and ill-advised indeed that the US government has joined in at the side of the terrorists in cautioning the Israeli government to reroute the parade. The US government has conveniently forgotten that the 2021 Gaza war broke out after Israel inadvertently encouraged Hamas by rerouting the Flag parade. This US position sends the wrong message, emboldens the terrorists and increases the risk of conflagration. Rather, it should be the official US position that Arab Jerusalemites and Jewish Jerusalemites alike should be allowed to peacefully demonstrate in all parts of the city with official permission at all times. Is it really necessary to remind the US government that this is a fundamental democratic right for all?