Many police officers were injured today when clashes broke out with protesters whom they were trying to repel, near the Israeli embassy in Amman, the Jordanian authorities announced.

The protesters set fire to properties near the embassy, the police said.

“No Zionist embassy in Arab land” chanted the protesters who gathered to march after midday prayers.

According to AFP, about 10,000 people participated in the mobilization.

Police prevented them from reaching the embassy building, located in the Rabieh district in Amman’s western suburbs, blocking all surrounding roads. Many of those gathered held Palestinian flags and portraits of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden with the caption “War Criminal” in Arabic and English.

At the same time, protesters chanted slogans against Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, whom they called a “traitor”.

The Jordanian parliament held an emergency session on the situation in Gaza, and its president, Ahmad Safadi, called for “the leaders of the occupation (including Israel) to be brought to the International Criminal Court for their crimes.” Many MPs also called for the severance of relations with Israel and the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador.

Jordan hosts about 2.2 million Palestinian refugees, according to the United Nations. Jordanians of Palestinian origin make up almost half of the kingdom’s population.