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Top Palestinian Official Slams Trump's Envoy for Becoming 'Israel's Spokesman'

© REUTERS / Ibraheem Abu MustafaPalestinian demonstrators burn an Israeli flag during a protest demanding the right to return to their homeland, at the Israel-Gaza border, in the southern Gaza Strip, April 13, 2018
Palestinian demonstrators burn an Israeli flag during a protest demanding the right to return to their homeland, at the Israel-Gaza border, in the southern Gaza Strip, April 13, 2018 - Sputnik International
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At least eight Palestinians have reportedly been injured in new clashes between protesters and Israeli servicemen along Israel's border with Gaza. More protests, which are part of the Great March of Return campaign, may occur later in the day after many demonstrators come back from Friday Muslim midday prayers

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat has blamed Assistant to the US President Jason Greenblatt for taking Israel's side and justifying Tel Aviv's crimes against peaceful Palestinian protesters near Gaza, according to Haaretz. Greenblatt also serves as Donald Trump's Special Representative for International Negotiations.

"Greenblatt adopted the position of the official spokesman of the Israeli army, calling on the demonstrators not to approach the border fence. Instead of demanding that the occupation authorities stop their ongoing crimes against Palestinian people," Erekat said in a letter to foreign diplomats.

READ MORE: Moscow: Israel's Use of Force Against Palestinians in Gaza 'Unacceptable'

Pointing the finger at Greenblatt, Erekat said that "the US envoy did not hesitate to directly blame the Palestinian civilians, defending the occupation authorities and massacres committed in all occupied land of Palestine."

© AP Photo / Adel HanaPalestinian protesters run to cover from teargas fired by Israeli soldiers during clashes with Israeli troops along Gaza's border with Israel, east of Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Friday, April 6, 2018
Palestinian protesters run to cover from teargas fired by Israeli soldiers during clashes with Israeli troops along Gaza's border with Israel, east of Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Friday, April 6, 2018 - Sputnik International
Palestinian protesters run to cover from teargas fired by Israeli soldiers during clashes with Israeli troops along Gaza's border with Israel, east of Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Friday, April 6, 2018

His remarks came amid reports about new clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli servicemen near Israel's border with Gaza, in which at least eight Palestinians have been wounded.

READ MORE: Chronic Gaza Riots: Week of Violent Rallies on Israeli Border (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

Violence may exacerbate further later on Monday, when many protesters come back from Friday's Muslim midday prayers to say "no" to the Israeli police as part of the six-week protest campaign, dubbed the Great March of Return.

Avigdor Lieberman, the head of hardline nationalist party Yisrael Beitenu, is seen during a ceremony in which he signed a coalition agreement with the Israeli prime minister at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem - Sputnik International
Israel Rejects Calls by EU, UN for Palestine Violence Investigation
Earlier this month, a spokesman for Gaza's Health Ministry told Sputnik that at least 15 Palestinians have been killed and 1,500 more injured in just the first day of the demonstrations.

The Great March of Return campaign was initiated by Palestine's Islamic movement Hamas, which said that the Palestinians are peacefully upholding their right to return to the territories they claim were illegally seized by Israel, while Tel Aviv insists that Palestinians should only settle in Gaza and the West Bank.

The campaign, which was launched on March 30, is expected to continue until May 15.

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