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Protests held worldwide against Jerusalem capital move

Four Palestinians have been killed by Israeli security forces in the occupied Palestinian territories on Friday.

Four Palestinians have been killed by Israeli security forces in the occupied Palestinian territories on Friday.

Two were killed in the Gaza Strip as thousands of people protested on Friday in the occupied Palestinian territories and across the world over the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Another two Palestinians were fatally shot by Israeli forces in Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, after an alleged attempts to attack Israeli forces.

More than a week after US President Donald Trumpannounced the decision to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, anger among Palestinians and their supporters continues to grow.

After Friday prayers concluded at al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem, hundreds of Palestinians took to the streets to demonstrate but were prevented from entering the Old City by barricades put up by Israelis.

Marches also took place to the north in Ramallah and in Bethlehem, where protesters faced off with Israeli soldiers.

Palestinian officials told Al Jazeera that at least 10 people had been injured through smoke inhalation and bullet wounds.

At least one injured youth had suffered a serious wound to his neck, according to Al Jazeera’s Alan Fisher, who was reporting from the area.

Rallies against Trump’s decision also took place in the Indian city of Mumbai, the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, and the Japanese capital, Tokyo.

Al Jazeera’s Harry Fawcett, reporting from occupied East Jerusalem, said a call to action by Palestinian groups and a unified response by Muslim countries had helped keep the protests going.

“There’s been a pretty loud and unified response that came from the delegates at the Turkey conference on Tuesday. The Palestinian factions have as well called for larger-scale protests,” he said.

The US announcement attracted strong condemnation from Muslim countries, and the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) declared East Jerusalem the capital of Palestine in response at its meeting in Istanbul this week.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has dismissed the move.

“The truth will win in the end and many countries will certainly recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and also move their embassies,” he said in response to the OIC declaration. 

Al Jazeera’s Hoda Abdel Hamid, reporting from Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, said protesters wanted to see “words turned into action”.

“They’re growing impatient…and some of the people you speak to do feel at some point Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a man who has dedicated 20 years of his life to the peace process, might bow to international or US pressure.”

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