Thousands of Israeli nationalists marched, some chanting "death to Arabs," in the heart of the main Palestinian street in the Old City of Jerusalem on Sunday, in a show of force amid ongoing tensions there.

The city was bustling with large crowds of Jews celebrating Jerusalem Day, an Israeli holiday marking the occupation of the Old City in the 1967 Middle East war.

Palestinians see this event in the heart of the Muslim quarter as a provocation. Last year, the military parade helped ignite an 11-day war with Gaza militants, and this year’s march sparked condemnation from Palestinians and Jordan.

Israel said it deployed thousands of police and security forces for the event, and minor scuffles broke out between Jewish and Palestinian groups inside the Old City before the parade began.

As the parade started, groups of Jews gathered outside Damascus Gate, waving flags and singing religious and nationalist chants, chanting "long live the Jewish nation" before entering the Muslim quarter.

A large group of them shouted "death to Arabs" and "we will burn your village" before descending into the Old City. Police expelled Palestinians from the area.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said “raising the Israeli flag in the capital of Israel is obvious” and that Israel had made that clear “from the start.” At the same time, he urged participants to celebrate “in a responsible and respectful manner.”

Thousands usually participate in the parade in the Muslim quarter, including some who chant nationalist or racist slogans towards Palestinians, before making their way to the Western Wall in the Jewish quarter on the other side of the Old City.

Last year, after weeks of Israeli-Palestinian unrest in Jerusalem, authorities changed the parade route at the last moment to avoid the Muslim quarter. But by then it was too late, and Hamas militants in Gaza fired a barrage of rockets towards Jerusalem as the parade started.

This led to 11 days of intense fighting. Sunday’s parade came at a time of escalating tensions. Israeli police have repeatedly clashed with Palestinian protesters at the contested compound in recent months, often firing rubber bullets and stun grenades.

At the same time, about 19 Israelis have been killed by Palestinian attackers in Israel and the occupied West Bank in recent weeks, while more than 35 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military operations in the occupied West Bank.

Many of those Palestinian militants killed in the fighting were civilians, including Shireen Abu Akleh, a well-known correspondent for Al Jazeera satellite channel.

The police faced international criticism for beating mourners at Abu Akleh’s funeral two weeks ago.

Despite recent unrest, Israeli leaders decided to allow this year’s parade to follow its traditional route through the Muslim quarter.

Before the parade, there were minor scuffles between Israelis and Palestinians, who threw chairs and bottles and chanted "Allahu Akbar" at the crowds.

Some Jews sprayed pepper spray on Palestinians and journalists. Police also fired rubber bullets and used batons and pepper spray to disperse them. The Palestinian Red Crescent rescue service said 15 people were injured by Israeli police gunfire, including four who needed hospital treatment.

Before the parade, more than 2,500 Jews visited the most sensitive holy sites in Jerusalem inside the Old City, where Palestinians barricaded inside Al-Aqsa Mosque threw stones and fireworks at them.

Police also said a Jewish group "violated the visitation rules" and was removed. Israeli media said the group raised Israeli flags inside the compound under long-standing arrangements known as the "status quo," allowing Jews to visit the compound but not pray, but in recent years, the number of Jewish visitors has increased significantly.

These scenes have raised Palestinian fears that Israel plans to control or divide the area. Israel denies these claims, saying it remains committed to the status quo.

Among the visitors was Itamar Ben Gvir, leader of a small extremist nationalist opposition party and a follower of the late racist Rabbi Meir Kahane, who entered with dozens of his supporters under heavy police guard.

Palestinians shouted "Allahu Akbar" as Ben Gvir, accompanied by Israeli police, shouted "the Jewish people live." Police said they closed the mosque doors and arrested 18 people.

Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, accused Israel of "playing with fire in an irresponsible and reckless manner."

Jordan condemned Ben Gvir’s visit to the site and warned that the "provocative and escalating march" could further deteriorate the situation.