Protests Against New US Embassy and Israeli Occupation

[Photo: @omdimbeyachad/Twitter]

It has been a turbulent few months for the Arab-Israeli conflict after US President, Donald Trump, recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December 2017. Now, the situation seems to have only worsened as the US embassy is officially set to open this week.

Over the weekend, floods of Israelis and Palestinians alike marched in opposition of the embassy, Trump, and the harsh occupation of Palestine. In addition the protesters gathered to denounce Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister, in an effort to force him to step down from his position.

“By relocating its embassy to Jerusalem, the U.S. endorses and unlawfully legitimises Israel’s policies and measures that seek to undermine Palestinians’ fundamental human rights which amount to grave breaches of international law and internationally recognised crimes…”

Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, revealed that the majority of Israel’s European Union ambassadors have boycotted the embassy opening; less than half of them accepted the invitation to attend.

Hundreds here marching through the center of Jerusalem calling to end the occupation, stop racist violence in the city, and for @netanyahu to quit. pic.twitter.com/evKIj3XSDQ

— (((D Roth))) (@adanielroth) May 12, 2018

Palestinian human rights organisations penned an open letter to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights; calling on the international community to act against the relocation of the embassy. The letter noted that the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, and subsequent relocation of the embassy, “unlawfully legitimises Israel’s policies and measures that seek to undermine Palestinians’ fundamental human rights which amount to grave breaches of international law and internationally recognised crimes.”

Thousands more Palestinians and Israelis are anticipated to march at the embassy’s opening, which is expected to attract just under double the amount of Israeli troops usually in the Gaza Strip.