At the events of the return march on May 31, 2019, the theme was “Global Jerusalem Day.” About 7,300 Palestinians participated in the march, fewer than Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and Hamas’ expectations. Although Hamas restrained the demonstrators acts of violence continued: there were two attempts to penetrate into Israeli territory and an IED and two hand grenades were thrown at the border fence.

The systematic launching of incendiary balloons from the Gaza Strip continues. The balloons set fires in a number of agricultural fields and forested areas near the Gaza Strip. The launchings were accompanied by threats that the entire country would be set on fire unless Israel implements agreements correctly.

In Judea and Samaria popular terrorism (“popular resistance”) events continue. This past week there was a double stabbing attack near the Nablus Gate in Jerusalem, injuring one Israeli critically and another slightly. The Fatah secretary in Ramallah (near village the terrorist came from) praised the attack and called it “revenge” against Israel and the United States.

During the annual Iranian-sponsored Global Jerusalem Day events two prominent figures gave speeches, Yahya al-Sinwar, head of the Hamas political bureau in the Gaza Strip; and Ziyad al-Nakhalah, PIJ secretary general. They threatened Israel, saying that during the next round of escalation Tel Aviv would be a target for the rockets of the Palestinian [terrorist] organizations. Their statements were part of an Iranian media campaign to threaten the United States and Israel, behind which is the tension between the United States and Iran, and the planned economic workshop in Bahrain.