Scuffles broke out in the Israeli Knesset today as U.S Vice President Mike Pence made a speech announcing the United States will open its embassy in Jerusalem next year, ahead of schedule.

Arab lawmakers in the Knesset help up signs condemning the move and were confronted by Jewish lawmakers before ushers subdued them in violent scenes.

It came moments before Pence was greeted with prolonged applause during his speech to Israel's parliament.

He said: 'Jerusalem is Israel's capital, and as such President Trump has directed the State Department to immediately begin preparations to move the United States embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.'

The accelerating of the embassy timetable, announced in the first ever address of a sitting American vice president to the Israeli Knesset, marked the highlight of Pence's three-day visit to Israel celebrating President Donald Trump's decision last month to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

The protest began as Vice President was making his speech to the Israeli Knesset

Members of the Joint List coalition of Arab parties held up placards in protest at Pence's visit

They also began shouting in protest at the Vice President's announcement that the US embassy will move to Jerusalem next year

The Arab lawmakers, from the Joint List coalition of parties, were eventually ejected by ushers

Pence was branded a dangerous racist by Ayman Odeh, leader of the Joint Arab List

Members of the Joint List coalition of Arab parties had pledged to boycott the Pence speech in protest at a December 6 decision by US President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Israel claims all of Jerusalem as its capital, while the Palestinians see the eastern sector as the capital of their future state.

A number of Arab parliamentarians began shouting and holding up protest signs that read 'Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine' at the beginning of Pence's speech, before ushers pushed them out.

Scuffles broke out Knesset members from other parties tried take down their placards while security restored order.

Ayman Odeh, leader of the Joint Arab List, said the group will not provide a 'silent backdrop' to a man he called a 'dangerous racist.'

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the boycott a disgrace. He and other lawmakers gave Pence a standing ovation.

Pence was preceded on the dais by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who lavished his American guest with praise and gratitude. It was all part of an exceptionally warm welcome for Pence in Israel, which has been overjoyed by Trump's pivot on Jerusalem. But the move has infuriated the Palestinians, with whom Pence is not meeting, and upset America's Arab allies as well.

Pence responded to the ruckus by saying he was humbled to speak before such a 'vibrant democracy,' before delving into his prepared remarks about the two countries' unbreakable bond.

'I am here to convey one simple message. America stands with Israel. We stand with Israel because your cause is our cause, your values are our values, and your fight is our fight,' he said. 'We stand with Israel because we believe in right over wrong, good over evil, and liberty over tyranny.'

In his speech, Mr Pence defended the controversial decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, which has been condemned by the Palestinians and their Arab allies.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the Vice President to the Knesset

Mr Netanyahu called Pence 'a great friend of Israel' and said there was 'no alternative for American leadership' in the peace process.

The administration will advance its plan in the coming weeks and the embassy will open by the end of 2019, much earlier that previous estimates the move would take three or four years.

Pence responded to the disturbance by saying he was humbled to speak before such a 'vibrant democracy,' before delving into his prepared remarks about the two countries' unbreakable bond.

'I am here to convey one simple message. America stands with Israel. We stand with Israel because your cause is our cause, your values are our values, and your fight is our fight,' he said.

'We stand with Israel because we believe in right over wrong, good over evil, and liberty over tyranny.'

To prolonged applause he said: 'Jerusalem is Israel's capital, and as such President Trump has directed the State Department to immediately begin preparations to move the United States embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

'In the weeks ahead our administration will advance its plan to open the United States embassy in Jerusalem. And that United States embassy will open before the end of next year.'

Pence said the American administration urged the Palestinians to return to negotiations. 'Peace can only come through dialogue,' he said.

He said the U.S. would support a two-state solution, but only if both sides support it. Netanyahu's hard-line government is dominated by opponents to Palestinian statehood, making such a scenario unlikely.

Mr Pence arrived at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport for the start of his visit to Israel

The Palestinians say the U.S. is no longer an acceptable mediator after its recognition of Jerusalem and have pre-emptively rejected any peace proposal floated by the Trump administration, fearing it will fall far short of their hopes for an independent state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza, lands captured by Israel in the 1967 war.

The Palestinians have refused to meet with Pence. In an expression of that snub, Abbas overlapped with Pence in Jordan from Saturday evening to midday Sunday, when the Palestinian leader flew to Brussels for a meeting with European Union foreign ministers. There, Abbas is expected to urge EU member states to recognize a state of Palestine in the pre-1967 war lines, and to step up involvement in mediation.

In Brussels, the EU's top diplomat Federica Mogherini said the aim was 'to support an international framework to accompany direct negotiations,' despite the U.S. decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

'The only pragmatic, realistic solution for Jerusalem has to come through direct negotiations,' Mogherini said.

A small group of Palestinians in the West Bank town of Bethlehem protested Pence's arrival by burning posters with his image. In the West Bank city of Nablus, dozens of Palestinians chanted against President Donald Trump and stepped on pictures of Pence in a sign of anger.

Some shouted: 'Trump you are pig. May God demolish your home. How mean you are!'

Netanyahu called Pence 'a great friend of Israel' and said there was 'no alternative for American leadership' in the peace process. 'Whoever is not ready to talk with the Americans about peace - does not want peace,' he said Sunday at a meeting of ambassadors in Jerusalem.

Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, said Pence's speech on Monday 'has proven that the U.S. administration is part of the problem rather than the solution'.

Earlier Monday, Pence placed his right hand over his heart as an honor guard greeted him with the American national anthem. White House Mideast envoy Jason Greenblatt, U.S. Ambassador David Friedman and the Israeli ambassador to Washington, Ron Dermer, joined the ceremony, and Pence chatted briefly with Israeli soldiers before beginning his meeting with Netanyahu.

Pence said he was grateful to be representing Trump and that his decision to designate Jerusalem as the Israeli capital would 'create an opportunity to move on in good faith negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.'

The vice president said he was hopeful 'we are at the dawn of a new era of renewed discussions to achieve a peaceful resolution to a decades-long conflict.'

Prior to his arrival, Pence visited Egypt and Jordan, where he was warned by King Abdullah II that he had to 'rebuild trust and confidence' after the Jerusalem move.