Israeli Arabs and Jews protest against Gaza blockade
Israeli and foreign peace activists protest in Tel AvivAFP, January 2, 2010
TEL AVIV — Hundreds of Israeli pacifists, both Arabs and Jews, marched in central Tel Aviv on Saturday to protest against the blockade imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip.
The demonstrators — estimated at more than 1,000 by organisers of the march — chanted slogans urging "liberty and justice for Gaza" as they marked the first anniversary of Israel's war on Gaza.
They called for the lifting of the blockade on the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave and accused Israel of carrying out "war crimes" in the territory.
On December 27, 2008 Israel launched a massive offensive against Gaza in a bid to halt Palestinian rocket and mortar fire. About 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed during the 22-day conflict.
On Thursday, hundreds of people including international activists held a similar protest on both sides of the Erez crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip.
Among the protesters were a small group of bearded anti-Zionist religious Jews clad in traditional ultra-Orthodox clothing and holding signs that read: "Judaism yes, Zionism no… State of Israel must go."
Israel has sealed Gaza off to all but limited humanitarian aid since Hamas — an armed Islamist group pledged to the Jewish state's destruction — seized power there in June 2007 from forces loyal to Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.
Copyright © 2010 AFP
