UPDATE - Palestinians hurt in West Bank clashes

ADDS NUMBER OF INJURED PROTESTERS

By Eshat Firat and Yusuf Mahmud

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - At least 45 Palestinians across the occupied West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem were injured by Israeli forces Tuesday amid ongoing demonstrations against last week’s decision by the U.S. to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

According to a statement from the Palestinian Red Crescent, 36 demonstrators were injured by rubber bullets and teargas in parts of the West Bank while nine others were injured on the Gaza border.

In a related development Tuesday, a Palestinian child was injured by Israeli army gunfire in the West Bank town of Salfit, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

In recent days, tensions have mounted in the Palestinian territories following the decision by U.S. President Donald Trump to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Jerusalem remains at the heart of the Israel-Palestine conflict, with Palestinians hoping that East Jerusalem – occupied by Israel in 1967 -- might eventually serve as the capital of a Palestinian state.