Middle East crisis
Two Palestinians killed in clashes over Jerusalem status
Two Palestinians were killed in renewed clashes with Israeli forces, Gaza’s Health Ministry said Friday, as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas urged France and Europe to play a stronger role in peace efforts amid continued fallout over President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
The fresh violence came a day after the UN General Assembly resolution denouncing President Donald Trump’s decision.
Abbas on a visit to Paris urged France and Europe to play a stronger role in peace efforts, insisting he’ll no longer accept any U.S. plans for Mideast peace because of the Trump’s position on Jerusalem, which Palestinians see as the administration siding with Israel on the most sensitive issue in the conflict.
Gaza Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Kidra said a
24-year-old and a 29-yearold were killed by live fire in clashes along the border with Israel. Another 45 Palestinians were wounded, he said.
The Israeli military said thousands of Palestinians participated in “violent riots” along the Gaza border and across the
West Bank “hurling firebombs and rocks and rolling burning tires” at Israeli forces. It said troops responded with tear gas and deployed live fire “selectively toward main instigators.”
Palestinians have been clashing with Israeli troops since Trump’s Jerusalem announcement on Dec. 6. Ten Palestinians have been killed and dozens more wounded so far. In Bethlehem on Friday, some Palestinian protesters held anti-Trump banners reading “Mr. Trump, it’s not your land to decide to whom it belongs, Jerusalem is ours and it belongs to us,” and “Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine.” The UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to denounce Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, largely ignoring Trump’s threats to cut off aid to any country that went against him.
The nonbinding resolution declaring U.S. action on Jerusalem ”null and void” was approved 128-9 — a victory for the Palestinians, but not as big as they predicted. Amid Washington’s threats, 35 of the 193 UN member nations abstained and 21 were absent.
The Trump administration made it clear the vote would have no effect on its plan to move the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.