US Embassy in Jerusalem: Palestinians react furiously to embassy relocation
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Palestinians have condemned Washington's embassy move to Jerusalem which is planned for their day of "Nakba". The date marks when hundreds of thousands of them lost their homes to Israel in 1948. Palestinian factions announced that the embassy's relocation will be a day of rage across Palestinian territories. CGTN's Noor Harazeen reports from Gaza.
Palestinians reacted with anger over the planned opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem on May 14th. A Million Man March coinciding with embassy's inauguration on Monday is expected to see tens of thousands of Palestinian protesters in Gaza cross the fenced border into Israeli territory.
ABDULLAH SALEM UNEMPLOYED CITIZEN "It is hard to expect what we would happen on Monday and Tuesday. We hope that they find a solution before it is too late, I think things will grow worse if tensions continued to escalate more."
The Palestinian factions unanimously rejected the US embassy decision, calling it a "flagrant violation" of international law and agreements between Israel and the Palestinians. Senior Hamas leader Ismail Redwan said that moving the US embassy to Jerusalem will be a day of curse for the US administration.
ISMAIL REDWAN SENIOR HAMAS LEADER "Moving the US embassy to Jerusalem will be a curse day for the US administration and the Zionists. The US will regret this day which definitely provokes feelings of the Muslims and Arabs."
Talal Okal, a Gaza-based political analyst said that the fact that Jerusalem is of great significance for Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims, would definitely lead to increased tensions and outbreaks of violence in Palestine and the region.
TALAL OKAL POLITICAL ANALYST "The day planned for moving the US embassy to Jerusalem will be a huge day of rage inside and outside Palestine. Jerusalem is of great significance for Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims. There has also been international consensus against plans of moving the US embassy to the holy city."
In December 2017, US President Donald Trump called Jerusalem the capital of Israel and launched the process to relocate the embassy there. Palestinian leaders see East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. On the other side of the border fence, they see things very differently.