Palestinians protest Trump's Jerusalem decision

Dec. 6 (UPI) -- Protests erupted along the Gaza Strip on Wednesday in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Protesters took to the streets of Gaza City burning flags and photos of Trump while shouting chants including "down with America...America is the mother of terror," The Independent reported.

Demonstrations stretched from Gaza City to Jordan's capital, Amman, and the West Bank town of Bethlehem, where Palestinians switched off Christmas lights in the Biblical birthplace of Jesus Christ.

Earlier Wednesday, Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and announced the United States would move its embassy there from Tel Aviv. He called the move a "pursuit of peace" between Israel and Palestine.

While Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the decision, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the move serves extremist groups that want religious war and signals the United States' withdrawal from the peace process.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniya told Al Jazeera Trump's decision was the "end of the peace process" and described the move as a "flagrant aggression."

"This decision is an uncalculated gamble that will know no limit to the Palestinian, Arab and Muslim reaction," he said. "We call for stopping this decision fully because this will usher in the beginning of a time of terrible transformations, not just on the Palestinian level but on the region as a whole. This decision means the official announcement of the end of the peace process."