Alwaght- Israeli regime forces killed at least 61 and injured 2,700 Palestinians who gathered near Gaza fence border on Monday for the climax of a six-week demonstration coinciding with the inauguration of US embassy in al-Quds (Jerusalem).
Before the bloody culmination of Palestinian's six-week “Great March of Return” in Gaza, Israeli forces have shot dead 49 protesters.
In total, 110 Palestinians have been killed during demonstrations in Gaza since 30 March.
The Palestinian ambassador to the UN said there were eight children under the age of 16 among Palestinians killed during violent clashes that took place on the border fence separating the besieged Gaza Strip from territories occupied by Israeli regime.
"We condemn in the strongest terms these atrocities by the Israeli occupying forces, using this massive fire power against civilians who have the right to demonstrate peacefully -- and they have been demonstrating peacefully," Riyad Mansour added.
Hardline education minister Naftali Bennett told Israel Radio that the regime would treat the Gaza fence as an "Iron Wall" and anyone who approached it as a "terrorist".
The “Great March of Return” rallies are due to climax on Tuesday, the 70th anniversary of Nakba Day (Day of Catastrophe) when Israeli regime was created.
Every year on May 15, Palestinians all over the world hold demonstrations to commemorate the day, which marks the anniversary of the forcible Israeli eviction of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their homeland in 1948.
On Monday, while Israelis were celebrating US embassy move into al-Quds, where hosts Muslims third holiest site al-Aqsa Mosque, Palestinian demonstrators were brutally repressed by Tel Aviv regime's forces just outside the new embassy.
Middle East Eye reported that dozens of unarmed Palestinians beaten and arrested by Israeli security forces outside the embassy, eliciting cheers from Israeli demonstrators who came out to support the embassy’s opening.
“Burn them”, “shoot them”, “kill them”, the Israelis chanted.
World leaders denounce US embassy relocation
Both friends and foes of the US have voiced criticism after Washington relocated its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to al-Quds, saying the controversial move would ignite tensions across the West Asia region.
The occupied territories have witnessed new tensions ever since US President Donald Trump on December 6, 2017 announced US recognition of al-Quds as Israel’s “capital” and said Washington would move US embassy to the city.
The dramatic decision triggered demonstrations in the occupied Palestinian territories as well as Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Iraq, Morocco and other Muslim countries.
The status of al-Quds is the thorniest issue in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Palestinians see East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.
Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has lashed out at the Israeli regime for pursuing a repressive approach to peaceful protests by Palestinians demanding their right to return to their motherland.
Taking to his official Twitter page on Monday, Zarif took Tel Aviv to task for “massacring countless Palestinians in cold blood as they protest in world's largest open air prison,” in what was a direct allusion to the situation of the Palestinians who live under years-long Israeli blockade in the besieged Gaza Strip.
In another part of his tweet, Iran's top diplomat pointed to the move by the US President Donald Trump to transfer the US embassy from Tel Aviv to al-Quds despite global outcry against the move.
He added that as Israel continues its brutal crackdown on Palestinians “Trump celebrates move of US illegal embassy and his Arab collaborators move to divert attention. A day of great shame.”
Turkey Monday withdrew its ambassadors to Tel Aviv and Washington over the controversial move, with President Recep Erdogan accusing blaming regime for exercising “state terror” and committing a “massacre” in the Gaza Strip.
Turkey's Foreign Ministry also said the US decision disregarded the rights of Palestinians, saying, "We curse the massacre carried out by Israeli security forces, encouraged by this step, on the Palestinians participating in peaceful demonstrations."
Egypt has also strongly condemned Israel's targeting of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip.
"Egypt rejects the use of force against peaceful marches demanding legitimate and just rights, and warns of the negative consequences of this dangerous escalation in the occupied Palestinian territories," the country’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
European foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, has urged Israel to show "utmost restraint" after at least 58 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces during protests over US embassy decision on Monday.
"Dozens of Palestinians, including children, have been killed and hundreds injured from Israeli fire today, during ongoing mass protests near the Gaza fence. We expect all to act with utmost restraint to avoid further loss of life," Mogherini said in a statement.
Britain in a statement on Monday reiterated that the administration of Prime Minister Theresa May had no plans to move its mission to al-Quds and still disagreed with the US decision.
"We disagree with the US decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem [al-Quds] and recognize Jerusalem [al-Quds] as the Israeli capital before a final status agreement," a spokesman for May said in the statement.
"The British embassy to Israel is based in Tel Aviv and we have no plans to move it."
Ireland's Foreign Ministry has summoned the Israeli ambassador to Ireland "to express Ireland's shock and dismay at the level of death and injury yesterday on the Gaza Strip."
Foreign Minister Simon Coveney also urged Israeli regime to exercise restraint "in the hours and days ahead."
France also spoke out against the US move, saying along with many other critics that it violated "unambiguous" international law and UN Security Council resolutions.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian in a statement called on the Tel Aviv regime to act with caution in the use of force against Palestinian protesters.
"France calls again for Israeli authorities to act with caution and restraint in the use of force, which must be strictly proportional," Le Drian said.
President Emmanuel Macron also phoned Monday to offer his condolences to President of Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas on the death of dozens Palestinians, Wafa News agency reported.
Macron reiterated his country's support for the Palestinian people and affirmed the need that protests remain non-violent, the official Palestinian news agency said.
Greek ministry of foreign affairs of also expressed concern over the loss of human lives, including children and the thousands of injuries during protests in the Gaza Strip.
It said in a statement that Israeli regime must respect Palestinians' right to non-violent protest and refrain from using lethal force.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated Moscow's objection to the controversial US move, saying Moscow "has several times offered a platform" for talks on the status of Jerusalem al-Quds.
"We firmly believe that it is inappropriate to unilaterally revise the decisions of the international community in this way," the top Russian diplomat said.
African Union Commission on Palestine's chairman, Moussa Faki Mahamat, expressed “deep concern” over the prevailing situation in the Palestinian territories .
He stressed in a statement that the relocation of the embassy to al-Quds “can only further heighten tensions in the region and complicate the search for a lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict."
UN human rights chief, Zeid Raad Al Hussein, took to Twitter to condemn reckless killing of peaceful Palestinian protesters by Israeli forces.
“Shocking killing of dozens, injury of hundreds by Israeli live fire in Gaza must stop now. The right to life must be respected,” he said.
Al Hussein also called for punishment of those behind killing of Palestinians saying that “those responsible for outrageous human rights violations must be held to account.”
UN rights experts urged Tel Aviv to halt excessive use of force against peaceful Palestinian protesters, calling for an "impartial, independent investigation" into Israeli troops’ violence in occupied territories.
The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination said it was "alarmed by the disproportionate use of force displayed by the Israeli security forces against Palestinian demonstrators."
The 18-member UN committee said it was "gravely concerned that many of the persons who died or were injured were reportedly posing no imminent threat at the time they were shot," voicing alarm at "many reports according to which Israeli authorities have denied and continue to deny access to urgent medical treatment to injured Palestinians."
The UN rights experts further stated that the deaths and injuries in occupied territories occurred "in a context marked by the 50-year occupation of the Palestinian territory" as well as a more than decade-long crippling blockade imposed on Gaza.
Amnesty International said in a tweet on Monday that the bloodshed along Gaza's border fence with Israel was an "abhorrent violation" of human rights.
"We are witnessing an abhorrent violation of international law and human rights in Gaza.... This must end immediately," the London-based human rights group said on Twitter.
Arab League chief, Ahmed Abul Gheit, slammed certain "shameful" countries, which he said were celebrating the opening of the US embassy in al-Quds.
"It is shameful to see countries participating with the US and Israel in celebrating the former's embassy move to occupied al-Quds in a clear and grave violation of international law and (UN) Security Council resolutions," said Abul Gheit.
Speaking in Cairo, where the Arab League is based, the official called on all countries to "refrain from taking any step that would harm the rights of the Palestinian people."
Abul Gheit added that the US embassy move "represents an extremely dangerous step" and "I don't think the American administration realizes its real implications in the short and long terms."
"The Palestinian side feels that the United States has abandoned its historic role as a credible mediator in this conflict, after Washington unfortunately revealed full bias towards the Israeli positions which consistently contradict international legitimacy and law."
The Arab League is also preparing for an extraordinary session on Wednesday to discuss Washington’s "illegal" move of relocating its embassy.
Egypt’s state news agency MENA also quoted an Arab diplomat as saying that permanent representatives to the Arab League will be participating in the event.
The meeting is convened with an aim "to counter the illegal decision taken by the United States of America to transfer its embassy to Jerusalem,” it added.
