3 Palestinians shot dead by Israeli forces

Two Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli forces in clashes along the Gaza border yesterday, as tens of thousands of people joined new protests against Washington's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

US President Donald Trump's December 6 announcement that he would break with decades of American policy and move his embassy to Jerusalem has stirred international condemnation, as well as protests across the Palestinian territories and Arab world.

Demonstrators have burned American and Israeli flags and trampled on pictures of Trump amid concerns his announcement would lead to major bloodshed.

On Friday, two men were killed in clashes east of Gaza City, the Palestinian health ministry said. It later said another Palestinian was killed in northeast of Jerusalem.

With their death 7 Palestinians now died in clashes and air strikes since Trump announced his  controversial move.

Protests and clashes broke out across the Palestinian territories for the second Friday in a row after the end of weekly Muslim prayers, often a catalyst for clashes between young Palestinians and Israeli soldiers.

At least 56 people were hospitalised across the West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said.

Over the border in neighbouring Jordan, thousands of people also demonstrated in the latest round of protests called by the Muslim Brotherhood, burning Israeli and American flags.

Rallies against Trump's decision also took place in the Indian city of Mumbai, the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, and the Japanese capital, Tokyo.

The status of Jerusalem is one of the most controversial issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israel seized control of the eastern part of the city in the 1967 Middle East war and sees the whole of Jerusalem as its undivided capital, while the Palestinians view the east as the capital of their future state.

For decades global powers have avoided taking an opinion, keeping their embassies in Tel Aviv instead.

Trump declared, however, that he would move the embassy and has recognised the city as Israel's capital.

Amid condemnation from much of the international community, the Palestinians have announced they will no longer view the Americans as a mediator in negotiations with the Israelis.

A poll conducted after Trump's announcement by the respected Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research found 45 percent of Palestinians supported a violent popular uprising, up from 35 percent three months previously.