Israel/Palestinian Terr.: Large Palestinian protests expected May 14-15 /update 1

Event

Widespread unrest is expected in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem during the planned opening of the new US Embassy in Jerusalem on Monday, May 14. The opening is expected to coincide with planned celebrations in Jerusalem marking the 70th anniversary of Israel's independence, as well as the Palestinian observance of the Nakba on Tuesday, May 15, annually commemorating the 1948 Palestinian exodus from the territory that became Israel.

Around 100,000 Palestinians are expected to participate in protests at 17 points along the Israel-Gaza border on May 14 and May 15 in a punctuated culmination of the six-week "March of Return" protests ongoing since March 30. A heightened Israeli security presence is anticipated near the Israel-Gaza border during the demonstrations. Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem are also expected to participate in related protests on May 14 and May 15.

Thousands of Israeli police officers had been deployed in Jerusalem as of Sunday, May 13, amid concerns over the expected Palestinian protests; accordingly, police will reportedly form a "human wall" between the Arnona neighborhood, where the US Embassy will be located, and Sur Baher, a Palestinian neighborhood. Traffic disruptions are expected in affected areas. Clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) troops and associated casualties are also anticipated in Israel and the Palestinian Territories in the coming days.

Context

Large-scale Palestinian demonstrations have recently taken place in the Gaza Strip as part of a six-week tent city protest along the Israel-Gaza border. Dozens of Palestinians have been killed and thousands of others wounded in clashes with IDF personnel since the protests began on March 30. Smaller related protests have taken place in the West Bank.

A spike in tensions and cross-border incidents has been observed in Israel and the Palestinian Territories in the wake of US President Donald Trump's December 2017 announcement that the US would officially recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, a departure from the previous US and international position of neutrality on the status of the city claimed by both Israelis and Palestinians. In February, American officials announced that the embassy would open a temporary location in Jerusalem by mid-May 2018, ahead of the previously anticipated schedule.

Advice

Individuals present in Israel and the Palestinian Territories are advised to avoid all protests or other public gatherings due to the high risk of violence and to monitor developments to the situation. Due to the underlying terrorist threat, travelers in Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip are advised to report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities. Some Western governments advise their citizens against all travel to the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and areas near the Israeli-Lebanese, Israeli-Syrian, and Israeli-Egyptian borders.