Israeli forces have used tear gas and stun grenades against Palestinians who rallied outside an Israeli military tower in Bethlehem, widely known as the traditional birthplace of Jesus Christ. Some of the protesters were dressed as Santa Claus.
According to Bethlehem resident Mohammad al-Lahham, these demonstrators have sent a message to Palestinian children about their determination to follow "the path to freedom, to Jerusalem."
"Papa Noel (Santa Claus) distributes gifts and the occupation distributes bombs today. These are the bombs that the Israeli occupation is distributing today, at Christmas," he said.
On December 6, US President Donald Trump announced Washington's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, in a move that sparked a wave of global protests.
Palestinian officials, for their part, said that Trump had made the biggest mistake of his life, calling the move a provocation.
Israeli army disperses Santa Claus protest in Bethlehemhttps://t.co/THcGedPefX pic.twitter.com/TMswbiVLRE
— ANADOLU AGENCY (ENG) (@anadoluagency) 23 декабря 2017 г.
The situation escalated after the Palestinian militant group Hamas threatened to start the Third Intifada in response to the White House's Jerusalem declaration, with Israel launching a series of airstrikes on Gaza.
Israeli army disperses Santa Claus protest in Bethlehem https://t.co/THcGedPefX pic.twitter.com/vOaJsyfQb0
— ANADOLU AGENCY (ENG) (@anadoluagency) 23 декабря 2017 г.
READ MORE: Harvest of Anguish: Two Dead, Hundreds Injured in Palestine's 'Day of Rage'
On Thursday, the UN General Assembly approved a resolution rejecting Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel after 128 member states voted in favor of the measure.
