Violent clashes have erupted outside the US Embassy in Lebanon as protests continue in the middle east in response to Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the Capital Of Israel. Lebanese security services fired tear gas at the protestors who threw stones at security services and barricaded roads around the Embassy, which is located in the area of Awkar, which is north of Beirut. The decision of Donald Trump to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel has drawn both condemnation and praise. Israeli's called the decision by Donald Trump as "historic" while sections of the international community condemned the move, including many Arab nations.
Calls for a third Intifada
The Arab League condemned the move by the US yesterday and there have been calls for a third intifada by the Islamist group Hamas. A tweet posted on 7th December by Hamas described the decision by Donald Trump as a "declaration of war against Palestinians." According to Deutsche Welle, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said on Thursday "We should call for and we should work on launching an intifada in the face of the Zionist enemy." Violence has been slowly escalating in the region in response to Donald Trump's decision last week.
Two Palestinians were killed in clashes with Israeli soldiers along the fence which divides the Gaza Strip from Israel. Many protests have been taking place across areas of Israel, including in the West Bank.
3 rockets have been fired into Israel from the Gaza Strip, one of which was shot down by Israel's Iron Dome missile defence system. The rockets landed in residential neighbourhoods in the South of the country but luckily the rockets did not appear to cause any casualties or significant damage.
In response, the Israeli military conducted airstrikes on two Hamas military facilities inside the Gaza Strip.
The health ministry in the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by Hamas said that 14 people had been injured in the Israeli airstrikes. All around the Arab and Muslim world there have been protests, including in Jordan. These latest protests in Lebanon have sparked fears that a surge in violence could be on the horizon. So far, the level of conflict which has been witnessed in recent years has not yet materialized, but calls from the Hamas leadership for a third intifada is only likely to raise concerns that this situation could become more volatile before it is resolved.
The issue of peace between Israeli's and Palestinians has been at the forefront of Middle Eastern policy for over 70 years, and the events of recent days gives a solemn reminder that peace between these two warring factions is still a long way away.
