Palestinians protest against Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital

Schools and shops have closed in the West Bank, as Palestinians protested against President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Political groups have called for protest marches in West Bank town centres at noon on Thursday.

Mr Trump’s dramatic break on Wednesday with decades of US policy on Jerusalem counters long-standing international assurances to the Palestinians that the fate of the city will be determined in negotiations.

The Palestinians seek Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, captured by Israel in 1967, as a future capital.

In recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, Mr Trump was seen as siding with Israel which claims the entire city.

Meanwhile, Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Mr Trump of throwing the Middle East into a “ring of fire” with his decision on the holy city.

Mr Erdogan also compared Mr Trump to a “blender” that is stirring up trouble in the region.

The Turkish leader said, addressing Mr Trump: “It’s not possible to understand what you are trying to get out of it.”

Mr Erdogan added that “political leaders exist not to stir things up, but to make peace”.

He also said: “If Trump says ‘I am strong therefore I am right’, he is mistaken.”

Mr Erdogan spoke to a group of workers on Thursday who had gathered at Ankara’s airport, before he departed for an official visit to Greece.