Pro-Palestine protestor sets self on fire outside Israeli consulate in US

PTC News Desk: A Palestinian flag-waving protester set herself on fire outside the Israeli consulate in Atlanta.

The protester is still in critical condition after a security guard intervened at the scene. The guard suffered a burn while attempting to save the protestor, and his condition is unknown, according to police.

"We believe that was an act of extreme political protest," said Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum at a press conference.

According to Schierbaum, the protester arrived at the building of the Israeli consulate and several other businesses and attempted to self-immolate after pouring gasoline on herself.

"We believe this building remains safe, and we do not see any threat here," he said.

According to The Times of Israel, the FBI's Atlanta office said it was coordinating with local law enforcement on the matter.

Separately, Ra'am chairman MK Mansour Abbas has become the first Arab party leader in Israeli history to publicly call on armed Palestinian factions to demilitarise and collaborate with the Palestinian Authority to establish a Palestinian state through nonviolent means, according to The Times of Israel.

"In order to move forward, the Palestinian militant groups need to throw down their arms. They need to work hand in hand with the Palestinian Authority in order to realise a national movement that will aspire for a state of Palestine in a peaceful solution alongside the state of Israel," Abbas said.