Thousands take to streets in protest at Trump’s decision

AMMAN — Thousands of Jordanians demonstrated on Thursday across the Kingdom denouncing the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and to relocate its embassy to the occupied city amid calls for mass mobilisation on Friday.

Immediately after the announcement on Wednesday evening, demonstrations were held in several parts of the Kingdom, according to local media outlets.

Protesters in front of the US embassy in Amman condemned President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, burning his phots and the US flag.

Protesters chanted anti-US slogans and called for maintaining the Arab character of the holy city. 

Around 1,000 people gathered near the US embassy in Abdoun, west of Amman, amid heavy security presence, to denounce Trump’s decision.

Waving Jordanian and Palestinian flags in front of the embassy, the protesters chanted “Death to Israel”,  “Jerusalem is Arab till the Day of Judgement”, “Jerusalem is the eternal capital of Palestine” and “America is the root of terrorism in the world”.

Meanwhile, thousands of students staged a protest in University of Jordan’s campus, denouncing Trump’s decision and demanding the annulment of the peace treaty signed with Israel in 1994.

Thousands of students also held similar protests at other Jordanian universities, including the Hashemite University in Zarqa, the University of Science and Technology in Irbid and Philadelphia University in Jerash.

Jordan’s Muslim Brotherhood Association and youth groups called for major demonstrations on Friday after prayer, a statement from the association said on Thursday.