Israeli army disperses Santa Claus protest in Bethlehem

BETHLEHEM, Palestine (AA) – Israeli forces on Saturday violently dispersed a rally staged by hundreds of Palestinians, some of whom were dressed as Santa Claus in the West Bank city of Bethlehem.

Israeli soldiers used live ammunition, rubber bullets and teargas to disperse the protesters, according to an Anadolu Agency reporter.

A number of demonstrators suffered temporary asphyxiation after inhaling teargas fired by the Israeli army, the correspondent said.

Anadolu Agency photographer Hisham Abu Shaqra was injured while covering the rally after being hit by a teargas canister fired by Israeli soldiers. He was transferred to a hospital for treatment.

Tension has mounted in the Palestinian territories since Dec. 6, when U.S. President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, triggering protests across the Arab and Muslim world.

Since then, at least 14 Palestinians have been martyred and hundreds injured in clashes with Israeli forces in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip.

Jerusalem remains at the heart of the perennial Middle East conflict, with Palestinians hoping that East Jerusalem -- occupied by Israel since 1967 -- might eventually serve as the capital of an independent Palestinian state.