A Palestinian rioter in the West Bank. Photo: Reuters / Mohamad Torokman.

JNS.org – Violent Palestinian riots broke out across the West Bank and on the Israel-Gaza Strip border on Wednesday after Palestinian factions, including Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah party, incited a “day of rage” ahead of a United Nations General Assembly vote on Jerusalem.

Thousands of Palestinian rioters threw firebombs and rocks at Israeli Border Police officers, including in Qalandiya and other highly-populated Palestinian areas.

The riots were encouraged by the PA following Monday’s US veto of a UN Security Council resolution that called for the withdrawal of President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The Palestinians, supported by Turkey and Bolivia, initiated a UN General Assembly vote on the same measure that was slated to take place on Thursday.

Last Saturday, Fatah also called for “angry” protests in Jerusalem to coincide with Vice President Mike Pence’s scheduled arrival in Israel on Wednesday. But Pence delayed his Mideast trip to January, citing an upcoming vote in Congress on tax reform.