People have taken to the streets in many cities across the world to show their solidarity with the Palestinian nation and voice their outrage at a decision by the US to recognize Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s “capital.”
Trump made the announcement on Wednesday, prompting a wave of condemnations and warnings from Palestinian factions and many world leaders, including Washington’s very own allies.
The US president also tasked his officials with making preparations for the relocation of Washington’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem al-Quds.
On Friday morning, thousands of protesters in Muslim-majority Indonesia and Malaysia joined rallies to condemn Washington’s decision.
In Malaysia, several thousand protesters, some shouting anti-US slogans and burning an effigy of Trump, gathered in front of the American Embassy in the capital Kuala Lumpur.
Prime Minister Najib Razak called on all Muslims in Malaysia to reject the United States’ proposal to make Jerusalem al-Quds “the capital of Israel.”
In Jakarta, people gathered outside the US embassy, carrying placards that read, “Jerusalem is not Israel’s capital” and “We are with Palestine.”
Yemenis, meanwhile, held a similar mass rally organized by the Houthi Ansarullah movement in the northwestern province of Sa’ada.
During the large rally, dubbed “Quds is the capital of Palestine,” people chanted slogans against Washington and Tel Aviv. The demonstrators also called for a boycott of American and Israeli goods.
A similar protest will be held in the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, later in the day.
Thousands of Turks also flooded the streets of Istanbul to condemn Trump’s announcement.
Tunisia was also the scene of similar protest rallies.
Pakistan’s major Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami has also announced rallies in all major cities after Friday prayers.
On Thursday, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the US Embassy in the Turkish capital, Ankara, to denounce Trump’s plan. The demonstration brought US forces to the roof at the diplomatic premises.
Ankara has vociferously opposed the scheme, saying it would cut its ties with Tel Aviv if it was ever executed.
In Egypt, arrests were made by security forces as hundreds of protesters rallied at the Egyptian Journalists’ Syndicate building in Cairo, denouncing Trump’s declaration. Protesters chanted anti-Israeli slogans and burned Israeli flags.
Reports said there had also been rallies in denunciation of the prospect in Chicago and New York City.
Palestine’s Hamas resistance movement has called for “Friday of Rage” across the Palestinian territories. Israel deployed hundreds of additional forces to break up the mass rallies, which will begin after Friday prayers.