Palestinians ready for new protests

Palestinians prepared for further protests near the Gaza border Saturday. Protesters began returning to a tent city erected near the border with Israel to resume the demonstration planned to last six weeks in the blockaded enclave.

Palestinians accused Israel of using disproportionate force, while human rights groups questioned Israel’s use of live fire.

US President Donald Trump has harshly criticized the Palestinians in the past, but the State Department said only that it was “deeply saddened” by the loss of life and urged steps to lower tensions.

Human Rights Watch criticized Israel’s actions. “Israeli allegations of violence by some protesters do not change the fact that using lethal force is banned by international law except to meet an imminent threat to life,” the New York-based group said, calling the number of killed and wounded “shocking.”

Iran condemned the “shameful” killing of protesters and mocked the fact that it happened as Israeli Jews prepared to mark Passover.

“On the eve of Passover (of all days), which commemorates God liberating Prophet Moses and his people from tyranny, Zionist tyrants murder peaceful Palestinian protesters — whose land they have stolen — as they march to escape their cruel and inhuman apartheid bondage,” Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted.