LOC22:07
19:07 GMT
PARIS, Jan 10 (KUNA) -- About 80 demonstrations throughout French towns and
cities took place Saturday in protest at Israels ongoing military offensive
in Gaza, with the largest protest taking place in the capital, Paris.
Organizers said that the Paris protest brought together around 100,000
people in a march that went from "Republic Place" to "Nation Place," where
some incidents took place between police and demonstrators.
Police sources said that their calculations put the number of demonstrators
at closer to 30,000.
Protests also took place in other major cities as public opinion is
becoming mobilized against the Israeli onslaught against the densely-populated
Palestinian Territory, reoccupied by Israel during a fourteen day military
campaign that included air, sea and artillery bombardments.
Marchers in Paris chanted slogans against Israel calling the Jewish State
"an assassin" and also criticizing the visibly disinterested French media,
which has given little coverage to the conflict, especially as Israel has
blocked foreign press from the Gaza Strip.
"French Media tell the truth," protesters chanted in what started as a
relatively disciplined but angry protest in bitterly cold weather.
Marchers also cried, "We are all children of Palestine" and shouted
allegations of "Israel, War Criminal".
Many carried pictures of Palestinian children that had been killed or
wounded by Israeli attacks.
Indeed, of the 800 victims over the past two weeks in Gaza, more than 200
have been innocent children and many more have been women and male civilians.
In provincial towns like Toulouse, Bordeaux, Lyon and Marseille, thousands
also marched in support of the Palestinians and to criticize Israels
behaviour, which many said violated international conventions on human rights
and protection of civilians in combat and occupied zones. (pickup previous)
jk.bs
KUNA 102207 Jan 09NNNN