The controversial flag march in Jerusalem, originally scheduled for May 10, has been postponed until June 15, two days after the swearing in of the new government at the Knesset. The Security Cabinet announced June 8 that the parade would be permitted to take place in one week if police approve the route.

The annual march has been taking place for several years, marking Jerusalem Day, when the city was unified as a result of the 1967 Six-Day War. Organized by right-wing groups, the parade usually passes near the Damascus Gate and though the Old City. It is repeatedly a source of conflict with the Arab residents of Jerusalem, who consider the march a provocation.

Originally scheduled for May 10 this year, the march was canceled shortly after it started when Hamas rockets targeted Jerusalem. This marked the beginning of 11 days of conflict between Israel and Hamas and riots in mixed Jewish-Arab cities throughout Israel. After the cease-fire deal with Hamas, the organizers rescheduled the parade for June 10.

Still, for the past few days, Defense Minister Benny Gantz has been voicing his objection to the parade in principle, or at least to the provocative route through the Old City. On June 5, Gantz said he would demand the parade be called off if it “requires extraordinary security measures and endangers public order and diplomatic processes.” Senior police officers sided with Gantz. They said that to ensure the march passes by peacefully, without frictions between far-right activists and Muslim residents, thousands of police officers would need to be deployed. The officers said the police simply did not have such manpower at its disposal for the moment.