LIVE: Two dead, hundreds injured as 'day of rage' protests erupt across Palestine

Hundrends of people took the streets around Al-Azhar mosque in Cairo following Friday prayers to protest against US President Donald Trump's move to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Protests have become rare in the country after a law passed in 2013 - amid persistent demonstrations calling for the reinstatement of president Mohamed Morsi - effectively banned protests.

Egypt's Supreme Constitutional Court upheld the law in December last year, settling a years-long court battle and protecting it from further challenges.

Four Palestinians have been injured by Israeli soldiers during protests in the Gaza buffer zone. 

MEE correspondent Hind Khoudary said: "Tensions are rising in the buffer zone. Four Palestinians have been injured so far." 

She added: "Israelis are throwing gas bombs on Palestinians and the number of Palestinians in the buffer zone is increasing by the hour."  

Protests continue as part of the ongoing "day of rage" against the US embassy move. Clashes took place inside the Old City and outside its wall where thousands have gathered. 

MEE correspondent Lubna Masarwa witnessed one injured man.

Mohammed Abu Al Homus, an activist, said: “The US decided in favour of Israel."

He added: "The international community recognises East Jerusalem as an occupied city, and then Trump declares it as the capital of Israel.

This declaration does not respect the international community.”

Thousands of protesters in Malaysia demonstrated on Friday outside the US embassy over US President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, denouncing it as a "slap in the face" for Muslims worldwide.

Some 5,000 demonstrators marched on the Kuala Lumpur mission after the Friday prayers in a nearby mosque, chanting and waving banners that read "Hands off Jerusalem" and "Down USA President Trump".

The protesters in Kuala Lumpur were led by Khairy Jamaluddin, the sports minister and head of ruling party United Malays National Organisation's youth wing, who accused of Trump of having made "an illegal announcement".

"What you did is against international law - Muslims cannot accept your action," he said in a speech to the crowd during the hour-long protest.

Mohamad Rasul, a 51-year-old train driver taking part in the demonstration, described Trump's move as "a slap in the face for Muslims. 

In neighbouring Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, several hundred people demonstrated outside the US embassy in the capital Jakarta, carrying placards that said "No to Trump" and unfurling a large Palestinian flag.

Both Indonesia and Malaysia are staunch supporters of the Palestinian cause and solidarity protests are not uncommon.

via Reuters

French President Emmanuel Macron appealed for calm on Friday after US President Donald Trump's widely criticised recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Speaking at a meeting, Macron said the decision should not "add to the instability of the region. I'm issuing a call for calm and responsibility by everyone which is essential for the efforts we are undertaking here."

His concern was echoed by Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who said the decision "will complicate the peace process even more", adding it posed yet another challenge for the Middle East.

"I can only repeat our rejection of this decision and our commitment to the Arab initiative for a solution based on two states," Hariri said.

Macron's foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian had earlier expressed concern over the situation, saying there was a risk of a new intifada, or Palestinian uprising.

"The United States, which until now has been able to play a mediation role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, have now excluded themselves from that a little," he told France Inter radio.

Washington is "isolated in this affair", he added.

Ahead of a trip to France on Sunday by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Le Drian said: "France can act, but it cannot act alone."

"We must pursue the necessary mediation to allow calm to return, so that we can commit to a negotiation process," he said.

via AFP

Scores of Iraqis in Basra shouted slogans during a protest after Friday prayers against US President Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official in Gaza told MEE: "The only way to fight Trump's decision is forming a national unity.”

He added: “This is the first step towards a third intifada and we will confront this decision with an intifada from Jerusalem.”

Thousands of Palestinians prayed on Friday in Al-Haram Al-Shareef and Al-Aqsa mosque. The Israeli forces lifted any restrictions on age, in a rare move, and allowed people to enter the Old City of Jerusalem. 

Meanwhile, Israeli security forces were deployed near Damascus Gate in preparation for mass demonstrations following the prayers to mark the "day of rage".

Palestinians have called for mass protests following US President Trump's decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem. 

Good morning from London.

Here's a round-up of the events that are expected to take place today, Friday 8 December:

► A ‘day of rage’ has been called by Palestinian factions.

► Protests are expected to take place after Friday prayers.

► In a rare move, the Palestinian Authority has ordered its policemen in Ramallah to stand down and allow for protests to take place - normally they would intervene in protests.

We'll continue to update you all on latest developments via our correspondents in Jerusalem and Bethlehem.

MEE correspondent Lubna Masarwa is LIVE in the Old City in East Jerusalem where thousands have gathered after Friday prayers.