Protests held in Lebanon to denounce U.S. decision over Jerusalem

BEIRUT, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese protesters held demonstrations on Sunday near the U.S. embassy in the Mount Lebanon area of Awkar Sunday to denounce U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Protesters gathered about 1 km away from the embassy, throwing rocks and burned tires at the building.

Angry demonstrators also burned a picture of Trump and set fire to U.S. and Israeli national flags while waving Palestinian flags as well as flags of various Palestinian factions.

"We came here for a sit-in in front of the U.S. embassy to protest the decision taken by Trump. It is impossible to implement this decision as long as there are people like us," said a Palestinian protester.

At the scene, the protesters clashed with the Lebanese Internal Security Forces (ISF), who erected metal gates and barbed wire at the embassy entrance to prevent people from getting close to the building.

A total of 19 members of the ISF were injured and one of them received a surgery, according to a statement released by the ISF Sunday evening.

Before the anticipated protest, the security forces have blocked all roads leading to the embassy and tightened security measures in surrounding areas on Sunday morning.

Last Wednesday, Trump officially announced his country's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and the start of moving the U.S. embassy there.

Trump's announcement drew widespread anger and criticism among the Palestinians as well as the Arabs and Muslims across the world.

Protests and demonstrations have been held in the Palestinian territories of West Bank and Gaza Strip as well as in many cities in the Middle East and elsewhere.

Israel seized control of East Jerusalem in 1967 and declared the city as its eternal capital in 1980, a move never recognized by the international community.

The Palestinians consider East Jerusalem as the capital of their future independent state. Enditem