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Palestinians protest Trump's Jerusalem decision

Posted December. 08, 2017 09:07,   

Updated December. 08, 2017 10:21

한국어

On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and announced a plan to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, prompting angry protesters from Palestine and other countries in the Middle East to take to the streets.

According to Palestinian media outlets, more than 250,000 people gathered in Gaza Strip on Wednesday in protest of President Trump’s announcement. A countless number of Old Glories, Israeli national flags and the photos of Donald Trump were burnt. Many Palestinian protesters were seen waving their national flags, chanting phrases such as “Death to Israel,” “Death to America” and “Step Down Trump.”

Some Palestinians in Bethlehem of the West Bank, the birthplace of baby Jesus, turned off the lights of Christmas trees as a sign of defiance. The Palestinian factions announced three days of rage from Wednesday to Friday, as a prelude to a massive protest. The Palestinian education ministry ordered schools to close to encourage its citizens to participate in the rallies to be held in Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories.

An angry group of protesters gathered near the American diplomatic offices in Ankara, the capital of Turkey, as well as in Istanbul. At the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul, some 1,500 people showed up for a protest. Out of indignation, some protesters even urged Hamas to “attack Israel.”

In Amman, the capital of Jordan, hundreds of Palestinian refugees marched through the streets. They called America the “mother of terrorism,” calling for the Jordan government to denounce a peace treaty with Israel, which was signed in 1994.



Min-Woo Park minwoo@donga.com