Muslims rally on Quds Day as US 'deal of century' looms

Millions of people in Iran and elsewhere have marked the International Quds Day to condemn a Middle East plan touted by US President Donald Trump as the "deal of the century".

Iranians took to the streets in massive numbers on Friday after Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei 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 fruition".

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 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 rallied in several cities to condemn "the deal of the century" and support the Palestinian people.  

The International Quds Day is a legacy of the late founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Imam Khomeini, who designated the day in solidarity with the Palestinians.

Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, the International Quds Day has been marked worldwide on the last Friday of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

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 Bahrain next 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.”

Palestinian teenager shot dead

As the rallies began on Friday, a Palestinian teenager was shot dead by Israeli troops when he allegedly tried to enter Jerusalem al-Quds from the occupied West Bank.

The Palestinian health ministry said 16-year-old Abdullah Ghaith "died after he was shot by Israeli occupation soldiers close to Bethlehem and his heart and lungs were penetrated".

Another man, 21, was shot in the stomach at the same location and was being treated in hospital, the ministry said.

Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said troops had been trying to stop people breaking into Jerusalem al-Quds.

Palestinian media said the men were seeking to breach the Israeli fence that separates the West Bank and Jerusalem al-Quds to reach the Holy City to pray at the revered Al-Aqsa mosque on the last Friday of Ramadan.

Earlier Friday, Israel said a Palestinian stabbed and wounded two Israelis in East Jerusalem al-Quds before being shot dead.

One of the Israelis was in a critical condition and the other suffered serious wounds, Rosenfeld said. Police identified the alleged assailant as a 19-year-old Palestinian.

On Thursday, Sinwar 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.

PressTV-Iran: US-hatched ‘deal of century’ will be failure

Iran’s security chief tells a Palestinian conference that the US-devised “deal of century” will definitely end in failure.

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. 

"Mr Trump's son-in-law who is a young Jewish businessman has designed this plan. Trump himself has declared that Kushner loves Israel, and now this person wants to be in charge of the plan," Iran's Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said in Tehran.

Larijani said Washington's policy is to humiliate Muslims and force them into a difficult situation, denouncing the planned Bahrain summit an "ignominy" for Muslim countries.

He said while different aspects of the deal is not clear yet, one definite prospect is to do away for good with the issue of returning 6 million refugees to their homeland. 

"To realize this goal, America is about to arrange an economic deal and get its money from the miserable Persian Gulf countries. There is also talk of making the Noble Quds the capital of the occupying regime and a village the capital of Palestine." 

PressTV-Ahead of Quds Day, Iran urges Muslim unity against Israel

Iran’s Foreign Ministry calls on Islamic nations to unite and remain vigilant against plots hatched by the Israeli regime.

Sinwar warned on Thursday, “Anyone who deals with the issue of al-Quds is an enemy to us, and we have no dialogue with him."

"I call upon the leaders of the Arab countries – if you want to keep your seats, you have no choice but to choose our option, the option of liberating Palestine,” he added.

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