Holy Land: massive demonstrations in support of Palestinian state

Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem

Tens of thousands of Palestinians have taken to the streets in Ramallah and other West Bank cities in support of the application for the admission of a Palestinian state at the UN. The Missionary News Service reports that the event has brought one of the largest number of people on the street since the end of the second intifada in 2005.

There were street rallies in Nablus, Hebron, Bethlehem and Jericho as well, while the Palestinian National Authority (ANP) has deployed a heavy police presence to ensure safety.

Most demonstrations have been peaceful. There was some tension near the Qalandiya checkpoint, the main roadblock on the road from Bethlehem to Jerusalem, as Palestinians attacked some Israeli soldiers with rocks, while they responded with tear gas.

In Ramallah, in the central Manara Square, protesters displayed a huge Palestinian flag with the words: 'the 194th UN state'. In recent days, President Mahmoud Abbas reiterated that, next Friday, he would present, on the sidelines of the 66th UN General Assembly, a formal application for membership for the state of Palestine before Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Source: MISNA