At least 19 Palestinians were wounded by Israeli troops Thursday when protests erupted a day after President Trump recognized Jerusalem as capital of the Jewish state, according to reports.

The clashes occurred in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.

Six people were wounded – four by live fire and two by rubber bullets — at a checkpoint near the West Bank city of Ramallah, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.

The Israeli military denied that live fire was used.

Eight were wounded by rubber bullets in the Palestinian city of Tulkarm in the West bank and one in Bethlehem, according to local reports. Confrontations also were also reported in Nablus and Jenin.

In the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Shuafat, one Palestinian was wounded by rubber bullets.

Troops used “riot-dispersal gear” against hundreds of rock-throwing protesters, according to the Israel Defense Forces. Dozens of demonstrators were treated for inhalation of tear gas.

In Gaza, east of Khan Younis, three Palestinians were wounded by live fire, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

In the West Bank cities of Hebron and Al-Bireh, thousands of demonstrators — some throwing rocks at Israeli soldiers — shouted, “Jerusalem is the capital of the state of Palestine!”

In Jerusalem, meanwhile, hundreds of Palestinians gathered at the Damascus Gate plaza outside the Old City and chanted: “Jerusalem is Arab, Jerusalem is Palestinian,” “Trump, you will see — Palestine will be free,” and, “In blood and spirit, we will liberate Jerusalem,” according to the Jerusalem Post.

Trump shot himself in the foot,” said Ali Mahmoud of East Jerusalem, Ynetnews reported.

“He doesn’t get to decide anything. We’re the residents here and this is our land. Trump’s declaration will not change anything in our position and struggle. Al-Quds (Jerusalem’s Arab name) is the capital of Palestine,” he said.

“Trump is better off looking for a game elsewhere, and far away from us. We’ve known for a while that he is a stupid person, and in the end he will lose and this will cost him,” Mahmoud said.

But an Israeli city hailed Trump’s announcement and plans to name a park after him.

Mayor David Even Zur of the northern city of Kiryat Yam called Trump’s move “historic.”

He said it was “a brave, unprecedented step which none of his predecessors were prepared to do.”

“Donald Trump proved to the entire world that Jerusalem is in his heart and we will prove to him in this way that he is in our hearts,” Even Zur said in a statement Thursday.

The park, which will include a playground, is set to be inaugurated next year.

Source: New York Post

 

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