Trump’s Jerusalem decision: All the latest updates – Al Jazeera
Last week, US President Donald Trump formally recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, in a unilateral move that broke with decades of US policy and disregarded warnings from the international community.
The decision generated a series of reactions in Palestine and around the world. Here are the latest developments, both on the diplomatic and street front, as of Tuesday, December 12:
Diplomatic updates
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Tehran ‘ready to support Palestinian resistance. On Tuesday, Qassem Soleimani, the commander of foreign operations of the elite Revolutionary Guards, said Iran is ready to support the “Islamic resistance forces” in Palestine wholeheartedly.
- Putin, Erdogan criticise US move. On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded a one-day regional tour with a stop in Turkey, where he joined his Turkish counterpart in criticising a US decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
- PLO denounces Trump’s declaration. In an interview on Monday with Al Jazeera, Hanan Ashrawi said the US has made any peace talks between Israel and Palestine “irrelevant and superfluous” with its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
- Hezbollah calls for a strategy to confront Israel. Also on Monday, the leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah said his group and its allies in the region would renew their focus on the Palestinian cause.
- Israeli PM tours EU. At a joint news conference with the EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday expressed his hope that “all or most” of the European states would move their embassies to Jerusalem, recognising it as the capital of Israel.
- Turkish leader calls Israel a ‘terrorist state’. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the president of Turkey, on Monday labelled Israel a “terrorist state”, and declared the USrecognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital “null and void”.
- Macron and Netanyahu hold talks. On Sunday, in a joint press conference after meeting Netanyahu in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron Macron urged the Israeli leader to negotiate with the Palestinians.
- Bahraini delegation arrives in Israel. On Sunday, a 25-member Bahraini delegation arrived in Israel on a five-day visit to “send a message of peace”.
Street updates
- Casualties rise. On Tuesday, as clashes continued six days after Trump’s announcement, the Palestinian Red Crescent said that it has provided medical assistance to over 1,279 people across the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
- Unrest across Palestinian territories. On Sunday, protesters across the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip headed to the streets again to denounce Trump’s decision.
- Palestinian Christians expressed their frustration with the US move, many of them speaking out during Sunday services.
- Protests spread from Asia, through the Middle East, to North Africa. Demonstrations were held on Sunday in major intenational cities.
- Clashes outside US embassy in Beirut. On Sunday, security forces fired tear gas at protesters near the US Embassy in Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, during a demonstration against the US decision.
December 3 – December 9
Diplomatic updates
- Arab League condemns US move. On Saturday, the head of the Arab League called Trump’s decision “dangerous and unacceptable”.
- Coptic pope declines Pence meeting. On the same day, the leader of Egypt’s Coptic Church cancelled an upcoming meeting with US Vice President Mike Pence, protesting against Washington’s move.
- Trump’s decision condemned at UN. On Friday, UN Security Council members widely condemned Trump’s decision.
- Erdogan calls for extraordinary OIC session. A day after the US move, Turkey on Thursday said it will host an extraordinary meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) on December 13 to discuss the US move.
- Hamas calls for new Intifada. On Thursday, Hamas leader Ismail Haniya said the US decision on recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is a “war declaration against Palestinians”, and called for a new “Intifada”, or uprising.
- Trump calls Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. On Wednesday, December 6, 2017, Trump announced that the US formally recognises Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and will begin the process of moving its embassy to the city, breaking with decades of US policy.
Street updates
- Clashes as Palestinians continue to protest. On Saturday, the “Day of Rage” protests continued across the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip over the US decision.
- Israeli jets attack Gaza. At least 25 Palestinians, including six children, were wounded on Friday in an Israeli air raid on the besieged Gaza Strip, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
- International protests condemn US Jerusalem move. Rallies were held on Friday in a number of countries in solidarity with the Palestinian people.
- Jordanians demand closure of US embassy. In one of the Friday protests, hundreds of Jordanians demonstrated in front of the US embassy in Amman, demanding its closure and the expulsion of the US charge d’affaires from the country.
- Dozens injured in clashes with Israeli forces. On Friday, thousands of Palestinians took to the streets of Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to protest against the US decision.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/12/trump-jerusalem-decision-latest-updates-171212081649751.html
