Protests continue in Palestine over Trump's Jerusalem move

Protests continue in Palestine over Trump's Jerusalem move
Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank continue protesting for the fourth week in a row over Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
2 min read
30 December, 2017

Thousands of Palestinians protested in Gaza and the occupied West Bank on Friday against the US president Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Over 50 protesters were injured by live fire said Palestinian health officials, mainly along the Gaza border.

An Israeli military spokesperson said soldiers fired at the "main instigators" as they posed a "direct threat" to the troops and damaging the security fence.

The spokesperson added that some 4,000 Palestinians across Gaza and the West Bank were protesting. Israeli soldiers fired tear gas in response to some demonstrators throwing rocks and setting tyres alight.  

Israeli tanks and aircraft hit the Gaza Strip on Friday after rocket fire from the Palestinian enclave targeted a southern community.

Three rockets were fired at southern Israel, two of which were intercepted by the Iron Dome aerial defence system, the Israeli army said.

Israel typically responds to each Gaza attack and holds Hamas responsible, even though other armed groups in the territory fire rockets.

The area has been largely calm since the 2014 Israel-Hamas war, but the week since Trump's Jerusalem embassy move statement has seen violent protests by Palestinians and the most intensive exchange of cross-border fire since the 2014 conflict.

Palestinians have clashed with Israeli troops across the West Bank and along the Gaza border since Trump's announcement to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital and move the US embassy there from Tel Aviv on December 6 and eleven Palestinians have been killed.

Israel regards Jerusalem as its "undivided" capital, a position nearly the entire world rejects saying its status should be determined in peace talks with the Palestinians.

Under international law, East Jerusalem is considered occupied Palestinian territory.