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WORLD NEWS Saturday 16 december 2017

4 Palestinians killed in latest Jerusalem fallout clashes

By FARES AKRAM armed uprising against Is-
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) rael in response to Trump’s
— Four Palestinians were declaration.
killed by Israeli fire and East Jerusalem is home to
dozens more wounded sensitive Jewish, Muslim
along with an Israeli officer and Christian holy sites and
in clashes across the West the fate of the territory is an
Bank and near Gaza’s bor- emotionally charged issue
der on Friday as the fallout at the heart of the conflict.
continued over President The Palestinians seek east
Donald Trump’s announce- Jerusalem, captured by
ment last week recognizing Israel in the 1967 Mideast
Jerusalem as Israel’s capi- war from Jordan, as the
tal. capital of their hoped-for
Protests in response to state. Israel says the entire
Trump’s announcement, city, including east Jerusa-
which departed from de- lem, is its eternal capital.
cades of U.S. policy that Palestinians were infuriated
the fate of Jerusalem by Trump’s announcement
should be decided through because they saw it as sid-
negotiations, have yet to ing with Israel on the most
relent across various Arab sensitive issue in the con-
and Muslim countries in the flict.
region. Palestinian President Mah-
Following Friday prayers, moud Abbas has said
Palestinians in the West Israeli soldiers detain a Palestinian boy during clashes at a protest against U.S. President Donald Trump’s move disqualified
Bank and along the Gaza Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in the West Bank city of Hebron, the U.S. from continuing
border set fire to tires and Friday, Dec. 15, 2017. in its role as the traditional
threw rocks at Israeli troops (AP Photo/Nasser Shiyoukhi) mediator of peace talks.
who responded with tear recently, images on social rusalem, the health ministry also “fired selectively to- Trump said his decision
gas and live fire. media show him carrying a said. ward main instigators.” merely recognizes the real-
Gaza Health Ministry Palestinian flag. Friday’s deaths put to eight Palestinians have been ity that Jerusalem already
spokesman Ashraf al-Kidra Another 82 Palestinians the number of Palestinians clashing with Israeli troops serves as Israel’s capital
said two Palestinians were were injured in clashes in killed since Trump’s decla- across the West Bank and and is not meant to pre-
killed from gunshots to the several locations along ration on Dec. 6. along the Gaza border judge the final borders of
head. He identified one of Gaza’s border with Israel, The Israel military said thou- since President Donald the city.
the men as Ibrahim Abu at least five of whom were sands of “Palestinian riot- Trump recognized Jerusa- Vice President Mike Pence,
Thraya, 29, a disabled man seriously wounded, he said. ers” rolled burning tires and lem as Israel’s capital last however, was forced to
who had both legs ampu- Another Palestinian died hurled firebombs and rocks week. The Islamic militant delay a trip to the Middle
tated. He had taken part later from wounds sus- at security forces, who re- group Hamas that rules East amid the outcry over
in several border skirmishes tained in clashes near Je- sponded with tear gas and Gaza has called for a new Trump’s decision.q

Coalition govt reached in Austria signals shift to right

BERLIN (AP) — Conserva- ty, led by Heinz-Christian reduce Austrians’ tax bur- Neither leader addressed under Chancellor Christian
tive and nationalist parties Strache. den, strengthen the econ- the new government’s ap- Kern, a center-left Social
in Austria reached a deal The two leaders gave few omy and “above all, we proach to European policy Democrat. His party has
on Friday to form a new details late Friday as they want to ensure more secu- during their brief appear- been the junior partner in
coalition government that announced their agree- rity in our country, including ance. Austria will hold the that government. Kurz said
will shift the country to the ment in Vienna, saying by fighting illegal immigra- 28-nation European Union’s that Austrians had voted
right and make 31-year- they would talk at greater tion.” rotating presidency in the “for change in our coun-
old Sebastian Kurz Europe’s length after presenting Before the election, both second half of next year. try, and we want to ensure
youngest leader. their plans to President Al- parties campaigned on the Kurz has stressed the impor- this change in the next five
Kurz’s conservative Austri- exander Van der Bellen need for tougher immigra- tance of a pro-European years.” He said it also was
an People’s Party finished on Saturday. They took no tion controls, quick depor- direction, while the Free- important to ensure “a new
first in the country’s Oct. 15 questions from reporters. tations of asylum-seekers dom Party traditionally has political style in dealing
election. It then embarked Kurz, who will be the new whose requests are denied been strongly euroskeptic. with each other in Austria”
on coalition talks with the chancellor, said the new and a crackdown on radi- Kurz is foreign minister in after persistent bickering in
right-wing Freedom Par- government would work to cal Islam. the outgoing government the old government..q