FEATURED JOBS
Comments (1)Two anti-Jewish acts in Paris have been linked to Israel’s operation in Gaza. The crimes were reported by the Bureau of Vigilance Against Anti-Semitism, as pro-Palestinian rallies were held across France.
The bureau said in a statement that a rabbi’s car was vandalized, and anti-Jewish graffiti was drawn on the wall of a shopping center, in response to the Israeli raid in Gaza.
“Through their gesture, the anti-Semitic authors wanted to avenge the Palestinians,” said the statement.
Pro-Palestinian rallies have been held in several French cities since Israel began bombing Gaza. The AFP reported that between 200 and 500 protestors on average have gathered in Paris, Lyon, Montpellier, Toulouse, Bordeaux and Nancy, in sporadic protests.
The largest protest took place in Lyon, numbering about 1,000 according to police, and 2,000 according to organizers. Protestors chanted slogans such as “Hamas resistance” and “Gaza martyr, the world must react,” according to the French daily, Le Parisien.
The group Generation Palestine was scheduled to hold an evening protest in Paris. The organization also set up a temporary public information booth in the center of Paris to distribute pro-Palestinian fliers and to “protest Israeli war crimes,” according to its Web site.
In another development, protesters clashed with police during a demonstration near the Israeli Embassy in London.
Seven activists were arrested at the demonstration as they tried to break down barriers placed by police to keep them away from the embassy compound.
About 400 people took part in the demonstration, much smaller than a violent demonstration held earlier. However, police were more prepared as about 140 officers, some of them on horses, prevented demonstrators from getting close to the embassy. Demonstrators also blocked a main London road during the demonstration.
The Israeli ambassador to London, Ron Prosor, said that none of these demonstrations will stop him and the rest of the embassy staff from working tirelessly to explain Israel’s position, making clear to the media that “Hamas is a tragedy to all those who want peace in the Middle East.”