Donald Trump has called today a “big day for Israel”. In Jerusalem, dignitaries and politicians including Benjamin Netanyahu and Ivanka Trump clapped as the US embassy moved to the disputed capital. On the beach in Tel-Aviv, Israelis and tourists alike were enjoying the afternoon sunshine. In Gaza, up to 52 Palestinians have been killed and 2,238 injured in what is now the bloodiest day on the Strip since 2014.
Gazans have been protesting the US embassy’s transplant to Jerusalem for weeks. For them, as for other Palestinians, the city remains a political flashpoint in their hampered struggle for statehood. Protests have been accompanied by burning tyres, flaming kites, stone throwing, and other low-tech means of aggression. The Israel Defense Force has so far suffered no casualties nor injuries.
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