Pro-Palestinian march in Paris ahead of Netanyahu visit

Netanyahu, who has welcomed Trump's move, will meet with Macron on Sunday ahead of a meeting with European Union foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday

Protestors take part in a demonstration against US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a protest at the Place de la Republique in Paris, France on December 09, 2017 [Nedim / Anadolu Agency]

A protester holds a photo of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as they take part in a demonstration against US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a protest at the Place de la Republique in Paris, France on December 09, 2017 [Nedim / Anadolu Agency]

Gendarmeries take security measures as protestors take part in a demonstration against US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a protest at the Place de la Republique in Paris, France on December 09, 2017 [Nedim / Anadolu Agency]

Hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists on Saturday staged a protest in Paris against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s planned visit to France on Sunday.

Protestors carried Palestinian flags and photos of French President Emmanuel Macron marked “accomplice” for hosting Netanyahu following the US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Netanyahu, who has welcomed Trump’s move, will meet with Macron on Sunday ahead of a meeting with European Union foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday.

France said on Friday the United States had sidelined itself in the Middle East by recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Read: Erdogan and Macron to urge US to turn back on Jerusalem decision

Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on French TV that the US move went “against international law”, adding:

Trump says he has a project. Let him present it, so that this intervention can be wiped out by the restart of the peace process

Macron and Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan will work together to try to persuade the United States to reconsider the decision, a Turkish presidential source said on Saturday.

France has been a supporter of the Palestinian cause. In 2014, the French National Assembly passed a non-binding motion calling on the government to recognise Palestine, but the government has not officially done so. Paris has pointed out in the past its conviction that a two-state solution requires the recognition of Palestine.

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Photos of French President Emmanuel Macron are seen as protestors take part in a demonstration against US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a protest at the Place de la Republique in Paris, France on December 09, 2017 [Nedim / Anadolu Agency]

A protestor performs prayer as protestors take part in a demonstration against US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a protest at the Place de la Republique in Paris, France on December 09, 2017 [Nedim / Anadolu Agency]

Protesters take part in a demonstration against US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a protest at the Place de la Republique in Paris, France on 9 December 2017 [Nedim / Anadolu Agency]

Most countries consider East Jerusalem, which Israel annexed after capturing it in a 1967 war, to be occupied territory, and say the status of the city should be left to be decided at future Israeli-Palestinian talks.

While the international community has almost unanimously disagreed with Donald Trump’s announcement, reports suggest that the announcement was done with the pre-agreement of Egypt and Saudi Arabia, with the Saudi Arabia going as far as, allegedly, stating to the Palestinian President to accept a village on the outskirts of Jerusalem as the alternative Palestinian capital.

Since the announcement, Saudi Arabia’s royal court has sent notices to the nation’s media outlets to limit the airtime given to protests against Trump’s announcement.

Emboldened by Trump’s annoucement, Israeli housing Minister Yoav Galant decided on Friday to promote a plan to build 14,000 new settlement units in the occupied Jerusalem.

Ex-Top Gear star Jeremy Clarkson to Palestine: Announce London as the capital of America

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