Tension prevails in occupied Jerusalem this Thursday morning, due to expected incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque by the far-right Israeli MP Itamar Ben Gvir and groups of settlers.

Ben Gvir announced his intention to reach Bab al-Amud in occupied Jerusalem during the daylight hours on Thursday;

In protest against the decision of the occupation police, which prevented him from marching flags in the alleys of the Old City or storming the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque

The Israeli Knesset member accused the Inspector General of Police of failing to fulfill his duty to control the Palestinian protests in Jerusalem, Lydda and Jaffa, and in return he chose to violate his parliamentary immunity.

Ben Gvir expressed his hope that outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would reverse the police decision.

The extremist deputy considered the decision issued against him a surrender to what he described as Hamas terrorism.

Al-Jazeera correspondent Elias Karam said that settlers in Jerusalem are preparing to carry out daily incursions into the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

He pointed out that what increased tension in Jerusalem was the announcement by extremist MP Ben Gvir that he would come to the Damascus Gate and express his protest to the Israeli and international press against the police's prevention of him from storming Al-Aqsa or carrying out the so-called flag march that was supposed to go out a few days ago with the participation of tens of thousands settlers.

Al-Jazeera correspondent explained that the Israeli police had justified the ban by saying that the march would lead to confrontations in Jerusalem, and have security repercussions on Arab cities on the Green Line or even on the Gaza front.

The reporter said that the Israeli police went so far as to say that the implementation of Ben Gvir's threats to storm Al-Aqsa Mosque or the implementation of the flags march would pose a threat to Israel's security.

A march for settlers in Jerusalem

On Wednesday, hundreds of settlers - including affiliated with the so-called Trustees of the Temple Mount - organized a march that roamed the Old City of occupied Jerusalem and the vicinity of the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque, amid tight security from the occupation forces.

The occupation police in Jerusalem forced Palestinian merchants in the Old City to close their shops to secure the passage of the march.

Yesterday, before noon, dozens of settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque, guarded by the occupation police, who closed down a Palestinian institution and launched a campaign of arrests in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem.

Avoid "provocations"

With the escalation of tension in occupied Jerusalem, the United States urged - yesterday, Wednesday - both the Israelis and the Palestinians to avoid "provocations" and to preserve the ceasefire agreement that ended the recent confrontation between the occupation and the Palestinian resistance.

When asked about the march of the flags;

"We believe it is necessary to avoid taking steps that exacerbate tensions," State Department spokesman Ned Price said.

The march is known as the "Flags March" to celebrate Israel's declaration of Jerusalem as its unified capital following its occupation and annexation in 1967. Thousands participate in it and reach occupied Jerusalem, passing along and within the walls of the old city, the main market and the Islamic neighborhood within it.