“Death to Arabs”, “May your village burn,” with these slogans the controversial flag march, organised by Israeli far-right settlers has reportedly reached the Damascus Gate, one of occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City gates.

According to the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronoth, the march began from HaNevi’im street in West Jerusalem on Tuesday .

It said around 5,000 Israelis are participating in the march – including l awmaker Itamar Ben-Gvir, a far-right extremist from the Religious Zionist Party.

At one point, several dozen youths, jumping and waving their hands in their air, chanted: “Death to Arabs!” In another anti-Arab chant, they yelled: “May your village burn.”

The daily also reported that four Arab lawmakers in Israel, Ahmad Tibi, Ayman Odeh, Osama Saadi and Sami Abu Shehada, arrived at the Damascus Gate and criticized the decision to allow the march.

Hundreds of Palestinians protested against the parade by Jewish ultranationalists through occupied east Jerusalem.

Israeli forces confronted several Palestinians on Tuesday, scuffling with them or detaining them ahead of the march. Police said that officers arrested 17 people suspected of involvement in violence, some of whom threw rocks and attacked police, and that two police officers needed medical treatment.

Some of the protesting Palestinians set fire to tyres while others were seen carrying slingshots. Israeli forces also resorted to firing tear gas to disperse the demonstrators.

Medics later said 33 Palestinians were wounded.