BEIRUT Millions of people in Iran and elsewhere marked the International Quds Day to condemn a Middle East plan touted by US President Donald Trump as the “deal of the century”.
The biggest demonstrations were held in Iran, Lebanon and Gaza where thousands took to the streets. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei had called this year’s rallies more important than ever.
People in Tehran and other cities flocked to main streets to support Palestinians who are facing the dangerous prospect of a sellout of their rights through the US plan.
Demonstrators carried banners with slogans such as “Al-Quds is the eternal capital of Palestine” and “Death to America” as well as “No to the deal of the century”.
President Hassan Rouhani, who attended the rallies in Tehran, said the “deal of the century” would be the “bankruptcy of the century” for its sponsors and “definitely will not come to a fruition”.
[[{“type”:”media”,”fid”:”40179″,”view_mode”:”wysiwyg”,”instance_fields”:”override”}]]He said Quds Day is “the day the confrontation of all Muslims with the world’s aggressors and the event’s message is that Palestine will be alive forever and al-Quds will remain for Muslims”.
“We have no doubt that the ultimate victory will be for the righteous and Palestine and Palestine, and that the land of Palestine will be a safe place for Muslims, Christians and Jews,” Rouhani added.
Similar rallies were held across the world, including in many Muslim countries as well as in Europe and America, to show solidarity with the Palestinians and condemn Israeli atrocities and US policies.
In Iraq, television networks broadcast live footage from tens of thousands of people who were rallying in several cities to condemn “the deal of the century” and support the Palestinian people.
Alongside Tehran, Beirut and Damascus, “Quds Day” rallies are held in several European and American cities, among them London, Berlin and Toronto.
[[{“type”:”media”,”fid”:”40179″,”view_mode”:”wysiwyg”,”instance_fields”:”override”}]]
This year, however, the display of Hezbollah flags at the “Quds Day” march in London will likely result in arrests, following the British Parliament’s vote in February to end the UK’s controversial distinction between Hezbollah’s “political” and “military” wings.
The Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) which organizes the London march, conceded in its latest published advice to participants that carrying a Hezbollah flag would probably result in a police detention.
“Based on advice from the police and lawyers, please be aware that flying the Hezbollah flag could lead to you being arrested as it may be interpreted as support for a proscribed group, as Hezbollah is now a proscribed organization,” the IHRC cautioned in a post on its website dated May 17.
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar sent a grave warning to Israel ahead of Quds Day and used the opportunity to reject US President Donald Trump’s plan and a summit in Bahrainnext month to promote it.
“Trump wants to sell al-Quds to the Zionists without paying a price,” Sinwar said. “I call him from here and say that I and the Palestinian people will be demonstrating along the [Gaza] fence in light of Quds Day in numbers that have not been seen before.”
Sinwar also warned to attack Tel Aviv and other cities with double the force if “the enemy dares to attack once again.”
“We will not sell al-Quds …We believe liberation of al-Quds will come soon,” he added.
Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner on Thursday met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem al-Quds to drum up support for the conference in Bahrain.
The Trump administration seeks to use the Bahrain meeting to bring Arab states traditionally opposed to the Israeli occupation of Palestinians lands into line.
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