Clashes in Jerusalem

As of press time, Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank were continuing to engage in protests following President Trump’s announcement, on Dec. 6, that the US would recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. At least 10 Palestinians had been killed and more than 100 had been injured in clashes with Israeli military and police.

In addition, Hamas militants in Gaza fired rockets into Israel, and Israel responded with artillery fire. No casualties or damage had been reported in Israel, and casualties in Gaza had not been declared.

Israel considers a unified Jerusalem its capital, while Palestine wants East Jerusalem to be the capital of a future independent state. The status of Jerusalem is one of the points to be decided on in peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine.

Guatemala joined the US in recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, but, as of press time, no other country had done so.