Tens of thousands of Indonesians rally over Trump's Jerusalem stance

Protesters wear save Palestine in the demonstration to support Palestine at National Monument in Jakarta, Indonesia on December 17, 2017 [Anton Raharjo / Anadolu Agency]

Protesters wave a Palestinian and Indonesian flags in the demonstration to support Palestine at National Monument in Jakarta, Indonesia on December 17, 2017 [Nani Afrida / Anadolu Agency]

Protesters show a banner reading “Support Al-Aqsa and Palestine” in the demonstration to support Palestine at National Monument in Jakarta, Indonesia on December 17, 2017 [Nani Afrida / Anadolu Agency]

Protesters wave Palestinian flags in the demonstration to support Palestine in Jakarta, Indonesia on 17 December 2017 [Nani Afrida/Anadolu Agency]

Tens of thousands of Muslims marched from the main mosque in Indonesia’s capital to a square in Jakarta on Sunday to protest against US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

It was the biggest protest in Indonesia since Trump’s controversial move earlier this month to reverse decades of US policy. Police estimated the number attending the rally, organised by various Muslim groups, at about 80,000.

The protest was peaceful but rows of police behind coils of barbed wire held back the crowd outside the US embassy in Jakarta. A police spokesman said 20,000 police and members of the military were deployed to ensure security.

“We urge all countries to reject the unilateral and illegal decision of President Donald Trump to make Jerusalem Israel’s capital,” Anwar Abbas, the secretary general of the Indonesian Ulema Council, told the crowd.

“We call on all Indonesian people to boycott US and Israel products in this country” if Trump does not revoked his action, Abbas said, reading from a petition due to be handed to the US ambassador in Indonesia.

Many of the protesters were clad in white and waved Palestinian flags and held up placards, some reading: “Peace, love and free Palestine”. There have been a series of protests in Indonesia over the issue, including some where hardliners burned US and Israeli flags.

Read: Erdogan says Turkey will open embassy in East Jerusalem

Tension has risen across the Palestinian territories since US President Donald Trump’s decision to officially recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

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.

Following Trump’s announcement, several Chinese and Japanese tech companies have cancelled delegations to Israel.

Read: Malaysian army ‘ready to perform its duty’ towards Palestinians

A number of protester gather near the stage to listen a group of Ulema in the demonstration to support Palestine at National Monument in Jakarta, Indonesia on December 17, 2017 [Nani Afrida / Anadolu Agency]

Protesters hold “Jerusalem for Palestine” banner in the demonstration to support Palestine at National Monument in Jakarta, Indonesia on 17 December, 2017 [Anton Raharjo / Anadolu Agency]

A protester wears a Palestine t-shirt “Gaza will not go down” in the demonstration to support Palestine at National Monument in Jakarta, Indonesia on December 17, 2017 [Nani Afrida / Anadolu Agency]

Protester take a selfie with “Trump take your racism away” and Palestinian flag in the demonstration to support Palestine at National Monument in Jakarta, Indonesia on December 17, 2017 [Anton Raharjo / Anadolu Agency]

Child protesters show a poster reading “Israel go to hell” poster and save Palestine headscarf in the demonstration to support Palestine at National Monument in Jakarta, Indonesia on December 17, 2017 [Nani Afrida / Anadolu Agency]

Protesters show posters reading “Let Trump get englightment and Al-quds is Palestine capital” in the demonstration to support Palestine at National Monument in Jakarta, Indonesia on 17 December, 2017 [Nani Afrida/Anadolu Agency]