Thousands gather to show solidarity with Israel

http://www.newenglishreview.org/blog_direct_link.cfm/blog_id/18930 <!--break--> Demonstrating their solidarity with the state of Israel, thousands of people congregated in Trafalgar Square today to call for peace as fighting continues in Gaza. Organisers estimated that 15,000 had come to protest under the banner 'Peace in Israel, Peace in Gaza’ and to hear speeches from the Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sachs, the Israeli Ambassador and a number of British MPs. A counter-protest organised by the Islamist Human Rights Commission assembled on the western edge of the square in the shadow of the Canadian Embassy, and organisers said around 1,000 people had attended. Both sides said the protest had been peaceful, though the Metropolitan Police made two arrests and pro-Israel supporters said one man had been pushed into an icy fountain after he tried to infiltrate and disrupt their demonstration. Jonathan West, 41, a solicitor from Ilford, Essex, said: “He tried to disrupt the Chief Rabbi’s speech. People pushed him into the fountain - he did go through the ice and he must be very cold. “ Across to the west of the square behind barricades, protestors chanted: &quot;Judaism yes, Zionism no, the state of Israel must go.&quot; Raza Kazim, a spokesman for the Islamic Human Rights commission said: “The Zionists had come out to support the massacre that was going on in Gaza.&quot;

<p><a href="http://www.newenglishreview.org/blog_direct_link.cfm/blog_id/18930">http://www.newenglishreview.org/blog_direct_link.cfm/blog_id/18930</a></p> <!--break--><p>Demonstrating their solidarity with the state of Israel,</p> <p>thousands of people congregated in Trafalgar Square today to call for peace as fighting continues in Gaza.<br /> Organisers estimated that 15,000 had come to protest under the banner 'Peace in Israel, Peace in Gaza’ and to hear speeches from the Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sachs, the Israeli Ambassador and a number of British MPs. A counter-protest organised by the Islamist Human Rights Commission assembled on the western edge of the square in the shadow of the Canadian Embassy, and organisers said around 1,000 people had attended.<br /> Both sides said the protest had been peaceful, though the Metropolitan Police made two arrests and pro-Israel supporters said one man had been pushed into an icy fountain after he tried to infiltrate and disrupt their demonstration. Jonathan West, 41, a solicitor from Ilford, Essex, said: “He tried to disrupt the Chief Rabbi’s speech. People pushed him into the fountain - he did go through the ice and he must be very cold. “<br /> Across to the west of the square behind barricades, protestors chanted: "Judaism yes, Zionism no, the state of Israel must go."<br /> Raza Kazim, a spokesman for the Islamic Human Rights commission said: “The Zionists had come out to support the massacre that was going on in Gaza."</p>