Jordanians protest against US embassy move to Jerusalem

By Laith al-Juneidi

AMMAN (AA) - Hundreds of Jordanians demonstrated near the U.S. embassy in Amman on Monday to protest the relocation of Washington's Israel embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The protest, which was held only meters from the embassy building, was attended by a number of Jordanian trade union activists and political party leaders.

“Long live the Intifada!” protesters chanted. “We’re fed up with these U.S. policies!”

U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman on Monday officially announced the relocation of Washington's Israel embassy from Tel Aviv to West Jerusalem's Arnona district.

An inauguration ceremony in Jerusalem was attended by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; U.S. President Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka; the latter's husband, Jared Kushner (who also serves as a senior advisor to Trump); and a host of officials from both countries.

The embassy’s relocation coincided with the 70th anniversary of Israel's establishment in 1948 -- an event Palestinians refer to as the "Nakba" or the "The Catastrophe".

Trump sparked an international outcry last December when he unilaterally recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital and vowed to relocate the embassy to the flashpoint city.

Earlier Monday, thousands of Palestinians converged along the Gaza Strip's eastern border with Israel to protest the U.S. embassy move.

Since Monday morning, at least 41 Palestinian demonstrators have been killed -- and hundreds more injured -- by Israeli army forces deployed along the other side of the border, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Last week, the Israeli government said the ongoing protests along Gaza's border constituted a "state of war" in which international humanitarian law did not apply.