A massive clash is taking place in Israel right now. The army and the police are trying to push back the protesters who took to the streets. All this is the result of Donald Trump's scratch of the pen which virtually recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The world was baffled by the decision of the US President.
Half of the countries of the UN Security Council demanded an emergency meeting. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that Trump had just set the whole region on fire. Macron expressed regret.
Mogherini, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy said that the world was thrown into the dark because of Washington's position.
Even its faithful ally Britain has unexpectedly opposed the United States. Boris Johnson, Foreign Secretary, called on the head of the White House to explain how to resolve this crisis now and how how to understand Trump's actions.
Sergey Lavrov, who had a meeting in Vienna with his American counterpart Rex Tillerson also was asked this question today.
- Mr. Lavrov, what does Moscow think about the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital?
- Speak up, please.
- Ok, what does Moscow think about the Jerusalem decision?
- I can't hear you.
One can only guess why Trump needs it right now. Perhaps, this is simply his businessman-like nature, that is used to keeping promises. Or maybe everything is much more complicated, and this clumsy, at first glance, step helped the US president to enlist the support of Israel and its powerful lobbyists in America to solve difficult domestic political problems and to successfully fight the democratic press.
One way or another, Trump is a player who raises the stakes.
Sergey Pashkov, chief of the Vesti Middle East department is reporting on how Trump will pick up the tab.
On Thursday morning, entrances to Ramallah, Bethlehem and Hebron were blocked by makeshift barricades. Teenagers collected stones and burnt tires.
Indignation replaced shock after Donald Trump's speech. On that day, an indefinite strike was declared in Palestine. Schools, universities, state institutions, and shops are closed. Young people gathered near the Israeli checkpoints and threw stones at the border police. In response, the Israeli police special forces used rubber bullets and tear gas. Ten Palestinian teenagers were wounded at the security fence in Gaza. There are also casualties reported in Hebron and Shuafat.
Violent clashes began in Bethlehem, where just before the lights on the Christmas tree were turned off in a sign of mourning. Protesters tore portraits of the American president to shreds and burned star-striped flags.
When clashes with police began in the villages of East Jerusalem, and the police used special equipment at the Damascus Gate in the Old City, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on other countries to follow the US example and to transfer their embassies to Jerusalem.
Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel: "We're in contact with the countries that want to make the same decision. I have no doubt that as soon as the American embassy moves to Jerusalem and even before this, many other embassies will do the same. The time has come."
The leader of the radical Islamist Hamas movement, Ismail Haniyeh called on the Palestinians to launch an uprising, the Intifada which is already called the "Intifada of Al Quds" in the Arab name of Jerusalem.
Ismail Haniyeh, leader of Hamas: "We must call for the launch of the Intifada in the face of the Zionist enemy. We should let the Palestinians show their rage and defend their eternal right to Jerusalem".
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, who labeled the demarche of Trump as the destruction of the peace process, obviously can't and doesn’t want to stop the protest.
Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian National Authority: "Trump's decision is absolutely unacceptable. We think that the US has weakened its position in the Middle East".
Ramallah believes that the announced move of the American diplomatic mission as well as the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital strikes at the heart of Palestinian aspirations to establish an independent state with its capital in East Jerusalem.
Mohammed Subhi, resident of East Jerusalem: "We join the strike by our brothers. We managed to defend the Temple Mount six months ago, and we'll be able to defend our city".
Border police and special forces have been put on alert. Army units focus on the border of the Gaza Strip, in Judea, Samaria and near the walls of the Old City. Friday has been declared the Day of Wrath in Palestine. The riots will start right after the Friday prayer.
Sergey Pashkov, Varvara Galemba, Aleksandr Ivanyuk for Vesti Middle East department.
