Millions of People in Asian Capitals Denounce Donald Trump’s Al-Quds Decision
Large groups of Iranians took to the streets across the country after Friday prayers to protest against US recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s capital, chanting slogans against Israel and the US and expressing support for the Palestinian nation.
Thousands of people in Malaysia and Indonesia, the two largest Muslim-majority countries in Southeast Asia, took to the streets on Friday to protest Donald Trump’s Jerusalem announcement.
In Kuala Lumpur, more than 1,000 people, led by Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, descended on central area of the capital, demanding that Trump undo the decision.
The protesters, chanting “Long Live Palestine! Long Live Islam!” marched down one of Kuala Lumpur’s busiest roads, disrupting traffic.
Protesters, some shouting anti-American slogans, gathered in front of the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. Jamaluddin addressed Trump from a podium after handing a protest note to an embassy official, saying “Mr. President, this is an illegal announcement. Jerusalem is an occupied territory. You must not even set foot in Jerusalem… The world will rise against the United States.”
In Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country, hundreds of protesters shouted “Go to hell Israel!” and called on Trump to stop “blind support” for the Jewish state. Both Malaysia and Indonesia have no diplomatic ties with Israel and are strong supporters of Palestinians.
The protesters marched from mosques to the heavily guarded US Embassy in Jakarta, waving Palestinian and Indonesian flags. They burned tires near the embassy, and photos of Trump and US and Israeli flags in a similar rally in the cities of Banda Aceh and Makassar. Another protest was held in Surabaya, Indonesia’s second largest city.
About 3,000 people rallied in Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka. They gathered in front of the city’s main mosque.
Afghans also on Friday launched big demonstrations in many provinces against the recent decision made by Washington about the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Hundreds demonstrated in Pakistan’s major cities. Protesters in Lahore and Peshawar chanted “Down with America, down with Israel and no to Israel occupation.”
Hundreds of people rallied in Syria’s Aleppo on Friday, to demonstrate against US President’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Sunnis and Shias also staged a unified demonstration in Iraq on Friday to protest Washington’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Hundreds of Muslims also held rallies in Indian-controlled Kashmir, chanting “Down with America” and “Down with Israel” in the main city of Srinagar and other cities. They burned US and Israeli flags, prompting the authorities to impose a curfew in old parts of the main city of Srinagar, and disallowed Friday prayers at the city’s main mosque for fear protests could turn violent.
The following day, demonstrations against the move were reported in the occupied Palestinian territories, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, and Bahrain.
َAlso, at least two Palestinians have been killed and about 770 others have sustained injuries when clashes broke out between Israeli forces and Palestinians demonstrating in protest against the recent decision by US President to recognize Israeli-occupied Jerusalem al-Quds as the capital of the Tel Aviv regime despite widespread international opposition to the measure.
Trump announced his decision on Wednesday, saying that Washington would relocate the US embassy in the occupied lands from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem al-Quds.
In reaction to the announcement, Palestinians staged rallies across the West Bank, Jerusalem al-Quds and Gaza on Thursday and Friday.
FARS