Protesters in West Bank, Gaza, Mideast and Asia rail against Trump's Jerusalem decision

Deutsche Welle

Show Caption Hide Caption Raw: West Bank protests over U.S. Jerusalem policy Tear gas was fired at Palestinian protesters in Bethlehem on Friday morning as groups across the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip gathered to protest the Trump administration's recognition this week of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. (Dec. 8)

At least two Palestinian protesters were killed during clashes with Israeli security forces in Gaza on Friday as protests intensified over President Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and move the U.S. embassy there from Tel Aviv.

Palestinian protesters also clashed with Israeli police across the West Bank after Friday prayers, as Muslims across the Middle East and elsewhere joined in condemning Trump’s announcement.

In what has been dubbed a "day of rage," protesters in cities and towns threw stones at Israeli forces, who responded with tear gas and rubber bullets. Smoke was seen rising over Bethlehem.

Trump’s decision this week upended decades of U.S. diplomatic efforts to maintain a semblance of objectivity while leaving the status of a contested Jerusalem to peace negotiations between the two sides. Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital for their future state but Israel has refused that claim. Much of the international community considers East Jerusalem occupied territory.

Jerusalem is home to key holy sites for Jews, Muslims and Christians, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque in east Jerusalem.

More: What country is Jerusalem in? Trump's proclamation avoids some thorny questions

More: Hamas leader calls for new 'intifada' after Trump's Jerusalem move

More than a dozen Palestinians were hurt during Friday's the clashes with police, according to Erab Fukaha, a spokeswoman for the Red Crescent paramedics. He said 12 Palestinians were injured by rubber bullets and one by live fire. More than 30 Palestinians were injured on Thursday in clashes with police.

A call for a holy war

Palestinian political groups had called for a day of rage in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem on Friday, to protest Trump’s decision.

Separately, in Gaza, the leader of Hamas, a militant Islamic group, is pushing for a third intifada, or uprising, against Israel. The first intifada erupted in December 1987and ended in 1993. The second intifada began in September 2000 and ended about five years later. Thousands of Palestinians were killed in the two uprisings.

More: What is an intifada?

More: Trump declares Jerusalem as Israel’s capital

More: Pope Francis urges status quo, 'wisdom and prudence' for Jerusalem

"Whoever moves his embassy to occupied Jerusalem will become an enemy of the Palestinians and a target of Palestinian factions," said Hamas leader Fathy Hammad as protesters in Gaza burnt posters of Trump. "We declare an intifada until the liberation of Jerusalem and all of Palestine."

Meanwhile, militant al Qaeda leaders urged their followers around the world to target the strategic interests of the U.S. and Israel.

Muslims also took to the streets in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Somalia.

More than 3,000 people protested outside a mosque in Istanbul, carrying Palestinian flags and chanting anti-US and anti-Israeli slogans. There were also protests in the capital, Ankara, and at least three other cities in Turkey.

Across the street from the embassy in Ankara, protesters chanted: "U.S.A., take your bloodied hands off Jerusalem."