One Dead and Dozens Injured in 'Friday of Rage'; Security Council Held Emergency Meeting

The 'Friday of Rage' protests in Palestinian territories in response to Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the 'capital of Israel' and the beginning of the process to transfer the US embassy to this city resulted in the death of one Palestinian in Gaza and injuries to dozens of others. Simultaneously, on Friday evening, two more rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel; Israeli media reported that the missile defense system intercepted one rocket and the second lacked sufficient range to hit Israel. Extremist jihadists aligned with Takfiri groups in Gaza claimed responsibility for the rocket fire; Hamas still controls Gaza but has not reacted to this rocket launching. The Israeli army responds to any air attack from Gaza, regardless of the extent of casualties and damages; as on Wednesday evening, after a rocket hit an open area in southern Israel, it launched an airstrike on Gaza. Although Hamas had called for a new intifada in defense of Jerusalem following Trump's announcement on Wednesday, the level of Palestinian participation in the 'Friday of Rage' protests in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza was much lower than previous assessments. All reports indicate that despite some scattered clashes in East Jerusalem and the arrest of only five protesters, tens of thousands of Palestinians returned home quietly after holding a peaceful Friday prayer at Al-Aqsa Mosque without engaging with Israeli forces. Meanwhile, clashes occurred at contact points between Palestinians and Israeli forces in the West Bank, resulting in injuries. At six border points between Gaza and Israel, demonstrators who approached the barrier threw stones at Israeli soldiers and were fired upon, resulting in the death of a thirty-year-old Palestinian man and injuries to twenty others; some reports indicated that the number of injured in this part of Gaza reached up to 56. However, Palestinians held large marches in their cities in the West Bank; thousands of Arabs also protested in northern and southern Israeli cities, condemning the US statement. In this context, Israeli media emphasized that the country's security forces managed the crisis well on this day and prevented its escalation. However, Ismail Haniyeh, head of Hamas's political bureau, stated in an interview with Palestine TV on Friday, 'A blessed intifada has begun... neither Trump nor anyone else can change the historical reality and identity of the holy city; anyone who thinks our position is limited to a few protests is mistaken,' but he did not provide further details about the next steps. On the same day, protests were held in Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Iran, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, and Turkey against the US decision; protests in Turkey were described as numerous and passionate. On Friday, at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany's capital, hundreds, including Palestinians and Turks residing in Germany, protested with Palestinian and Turkish flags, and the police dispersed them. The differing positions of the Czech Republic and Hungary in the European Union Amid widespread criticism from many European governments regarding the US statement, Israel's Channel 10 reported that Hungary and the Czech Republic prevented the European Union from issuing a unified statement condemning the US president's action. Israeli media had previously reported that Hungary and the Czech Republic had informed the Israeli Foreign Ministry of very preliminary steps regarding the possibility of transferring their embassies to Jerusalem, and Rodrigo Duterte, the president of the Philippines, also expressed his willingness to take this action. The president of the Czech Republic confirmed this on Thursday, stating that he wishes for the Czech Republic to also have an embassy in Jerusalem following the US; however, the Czech prime minister said on Friday that he opposes this and that the Czech embassy will remain in Tel Aviv. Emergency Security Council Meeting Regarding Trump's Decision Meanwhile, the Security Council held an emergency meeting on Friday at the request of Palestinians and Arab countries seeking to annul the US statement; Riyad Mansour, the permanent representative of Palestine to the UN, stated in this meeting that they ask the US to revoke its 'illegal, provocative, arrogant, and violative of international law' decision. The UN representative for Middle Eastern affairs also stated in this meeting that 'the worsening situation following the US president's statement is concerning.' Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN, stated in this meeting that the Trump administration supports a two-state solution (independence for Palestine alongside Israel), if acceptable to both parties. Ms. Haley said that the US's recent action 'did not change the status at the Temple Mount and President Trump wants to maintain the current status at holy sites.' The US ambassador also stated that 'the issue of borders should be determined by Israelis and Palestinians in negotiations between them.' Danny Danon, Israel's ambassador to the UN, also stated in the Security Council meeting that Trump's statement is a milestone and a constructive and historical transformation for Israel and the world, compensating for a historical injustice regarding the ancient rights of Jews to a city where they have been present for three thousand years. However, Saeb Erekat, the executive secretary of the Palestine Liberation Organization, stated in an interview with 'Russia Al-Youm' that until the US retracts its decision, there will be no negotiations or contact with the Washington government. On Friday, Mr. Trump published tweets from three former US presidents, Bill Clinton, George Bush, and Barack Obama, who also stated during their presidencies that Jerusalem is 'the capital of Israel.' Mr. Trump emphasized that he is the only leader in the US who has fulfilled his promise regarding the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Meanwhile, Rex Tillerson, the US Secretary of State, who was in Paris, assessed on Friday that the process of transferring the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem would take at least two years.