Unholy mess deepens
More deaths and injuries as protesters clash with security forces, as the outrage over Jerusalem announcement shows no signs of abating.
Four Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire and dozens more wounded along with an Israeli officer in clashes across the West Bank and near Gaza’s border yesterday as the fallout continued over United States President Donald Trump’s announcement last week recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Protests in response to Trump’s announcement, which departed from decades of US policy that the fate of Jerusalem should be decided through negotiations, have yet to relent across various Arab and Muslim countries in the region.
Following Friday prayers, Palestinians in the West Bank and along the Gaza border set fire to tyres and threw rocks at Israeli troops, who responded with tear gas and live fire.
Gaza Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Kidra said two Palestinians were killed by gunshots to the head. He identified one of the men as Ibrahim Abu Thraya, 29, a disabled man who had both legs amputated. He had taken part in several border skirmishes recently, with images on social media showing him carrying a Palestinian flag.
Another 82 Palestinians were injured in clashes in several locations along Gaza’s border with Israel, at least five of whom were seriously wounded, Kidra said.
Another Palestinian died later from wounds suffered in clashes near Jerusalem, the health ministry said.
The deaths put the number of Palestinians killed since Trump’s declaration at eight.
The Israel military said thousands of ‘‘Palestinian rioters’’ rolled burning tyres and hurled firebombs and rocks at security forces, who responded with tear gas and also ‘‘fired selectively toward main instigators’’.
Palestinians have been clashing with Israeli troops across the West Bank and along the Gaza border since Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital last week.
Islamist militant group Hamas, which rules Gaza, has called for a new intifada, or armed uprising against Israel, in response to Trump’s declaration.
East Jerusalem is home to sensitive Jewish, Muslim and Christian holy sites. The Palestinians seek East Jerusalem, captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war from Jordan, as the capital of their hoped-for state.