‘Day of Rage’ in ArabMuslim world
ANGER OVER JERUSALEM In Gaza, calls for worshippers to protest sounded over mosque loudspeakers and dozens of youths burnt tyres on the main streets of the enclave, controlled by Hamas
of Palestinians protested in a “day of rage” on Friday in the occupied West Bank, Gaza and in East Jerusalem against US President Donald Trump’s recognition of the ancient city as Israel’s capital.
Across the Arab and Muslim worlds, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets on Friday, the Muslim holy day, expressing solidarity with the Palestinians and outrage at the US move.
As Friday prayers ended at the Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, worshippers made their way toward the walled Old City gates, chanting “Jerusalem is ours, Jerusalem is our capital,” and “We don’t need empty words, we need stones and Kalashnikovs”. Some scuffles broke out between protesters and police.
Violence so far has largely been contained. By midday Friday, there had been no reports of deaths in two days of demonstrations in the Palestinian territories. Thirty-one Palestinians were wounded on Thursday.
Clashes began in some spots of the West Bank after Friday prayers, though the unrest appeared less intense than the previous day. In Hebron and Bethlehem dozens of Palestinians threw stones at Israeli soldiers who fired back with tear gas.
In Gaza, calls for worshippers to protest sounded over mosque loudspeakers and dozens of youths burnt tyres on the main streets of the enclave, controlled by the Islamist Hamas group, and hundreds rallied toward the border with Israel. Hamas has called for a new Palestinian uprising like the “intifadas” of 1987-1993 and 2000-2005 that together saw thousands of Palestinians and more than 1,000 Israelis killed.
Israeli police increased their presence in Jerusalem but set no extra restrictions on access for worshippers at Al-Aqsa Mosque, saying they had no indication of unrest there, a sign they anticipated confrontation to be limited. Police regularly impose age restrictions at the site, known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as the Temple Mount, when they anticipate major unrest.
In Iran, which has never recognised Israel and supports anti-Israel militants, demonstrators burned pictures of Trump and
JERUSALEM:Thousands
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while chanting “Death to the Devil”. Opposition to the US move has united Iran’s pragmatist faction, which supports greater openness to the outside world, behind hardliners that oppose it.
In Cairo, capital of Egypt, a US ally which has a peace treaty with Israel, hundreds of protesters who had gathered in Al-Azhar mosque and outside in its courtyard chanted “Jerusalem is Arab! O Trump, you madman, the Arab people are everywhere!”
Thousands also took to the streets in Muslim-majority Malaysia and Indonesia, where authorities tightened security around US embassies.
HAFIZ SAEED LEADS RALLY IN PAKISTAN
Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed on Friday made his first public appearance after being freed from house arrest and led a rally in Lahore to launch a countrywide campaign against Trump’s decision.
The Jammat-ud-Dawah chief, who carries a bounty of $10 million, said the Defence Council Pakistan (DCP) will send its delegations to Muslim countries and convince them not to open their embassies in Jerusalem as he led the rally outside the JuD headquarters in Chauburji after the Friday prayers.
“Any Muslim country if opens its consulate in Jerusalem should be barred from opening their embassies in the Muslim countries,” Saeed suggested.
He said the Muslim countries should unite against the US.