Palestinians continue violent anti-Israel protests over U.S. Jerusalem decision

JERUSALEM, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of Palestinians took part in violent protests across the West Bank on Saturday, a substantial decrease from thousands on Friday, said the Israeli military.

Some 600 Palestinian demonstrators at 20 flashpoints in the West Bank threw petrol bombs and rocks at Israeli troops, and set tires on fire and rolled them at soldiers, who responded with riot dispersal weapons such as tear gas, stun grenades and rubber bullets, the army said in a statement.

A total of six Palestinians were arrested in the West Bank, and six others lightly wounded in the clashes, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said.

In East Jerusalem, Israeli police said four officers were lightly injured during clashes, and at least 13 Palestinians were arrested for throwing stones and other objects at officers.

In the Gaza Strip, approximately 450 Palestinians gathered and protested at eight locations along the security fence with Israel, the army said.

In northern Israel, Arab protesters in the Wadi Ara area threw stones at a bus travelling near the town of Ar'ara, causing light injuries to the driver and two passengers. Police said they arrested two people in the town for rioting.

In southern Israel, some 100 people protested in the Bedouin town of Rahat.

Also in the day, a top Israel Defense Forces general warned that further rocket fire from Gaza toward Israel would be met with a "severe and painful response."

"Irresponsible" terror groups are seeking an "escalation" with Israel, and they will be the ones who end up paying the price, Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai, the military liaison to the Palestinians, wrote on his Facebook page in Arabic.

In response to the rockets fired at southern Israeli communities throughout Friday, Israeli aircraft targeted four facilities belonging to the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, according to a statement by IDF early Saturday morning.

The four facilities were two weapons manufacturing sites, a weapons warehouse and a military compound, the army said.

Palestinians called for "days of rage" on Friday and Saturday and protests were held across much of the Muslim world as well as in some European capitals against the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Enditem