UPDATED ON:
Sunday, December 28, 2008
23:03 Mecca time, 20:03 GMT
 
News Middle East
Arab street angry over Gaza attacks

Tens of thousands gathered in Yemen to
protest against the Israeli attack [AFP]

Protesters across the Middle East have held a second day of demonstrations against Israel's military assault on the Gaza Strip.

In the occupied West Bank, one protester was killed and at least two others critically injured by Israeli fire at a protest near Ramallah on Sunday.

In Yemen, tens of thousands of people gathered in and around a stadium in the capital, Sanaa, chanting anti-Israeli slogans and criticising Arab leaders for failing to act.

"How long will the silence last? Arabs wake up!" read one banner.

The demonstration was backed by the ruling party, opposition groups and other organisations.

A few members of Jordan's parliament burned the Israeli flag under the parliament dome while in session on Sunday, after calling for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador to Amman.

Action demanded

In Lebanon, hundreds of Lebanese and Palestinian refugees staged a sit-in near the United Nations office in central Beirut.

The protesters held banners calling on the global body to put pressure on Israel to end the attacks that have killed more than 280 people.

The protest was organised by the Lebanese-branch of the Muslim Gamaa group, along with Hamas and other groups. Lebanon is host to more than 400,000 Palestinian refugees living in 12 camps across the country.

Al Jazeera's Rula Amin, reporting from Beirut, said that people were demanding more decisive action from their leaders.

"From the people we have heard very critical remarks, not only against Israel, but also against Arab governments. Many were angry at the Egyptian government, they feel they needed to do more," she said. 

'Firm stand'

The Hezbollah movement, which fought a 33-day war with Israel in 2006, has condemned the attacks as a "war crime and a genocide that requires immediate action from the international community and its institutions".

"I'd like to say ... that Gaza will remain steadfast in the face of Americans and Zionists whatever the plots and conspiracies hatched by tyrants and arrogant enemies"

Dalil al-Qasoos, 
Palestinian ambassador to Iraq

In a statement, the group called on Arab countries to "take a firm stand and exert its utmost efforts against the Israeli barbarism - which is covered by the US - and the international community to stop this ongoing massacre".

The Arab League will not meet to discuss a common response to the Israeli assault until a summit in Doha, Qatar, on January 2.

Arab foreign ministers were due to hold an emergency meeting on Sunday, but the meeting was postponed until Wednesday.

Amr Moussa, the Arab League secretary-general, said the delay was because many ministers were busy in separate meetings of two Arab regional groups - the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) and the Maghreb Union.

"The time worries us very much because of the delay in holding the ministerial meeting but we will not remain silent and consultations are continuing," he said.

The attack will, however, be discussed by the GCC, which on Saturday described the situation as "barbaric" and "ugly".

Government support

Meanwhile in Damascus, the capital of Syria, an estimated 5,000 people congregated in the Yusif al-Azmeh square, shouting slogans and cluttering the horizon with the flags of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the PLFP, Hezbollah, Syria, Iraq, and Palestine.

Palestinian youths clashed with Israeli troops in a Jerusalem refugee camp [AFP]
Many were bussed in for the demonstration, suggesting that it was government orchestrated, though some protesters insisted that their attendance was not obligatory.

One lorry slowly circled the square, covered in Hamas banners and carrying masked men dressed in white with fake suicide belts. From loudspeakers, Hamas supporters called for "jihad" against Israel and led their followers in fist-pumping chants calling for "struggle in the name of God".

In other parts of the square some burned Israeli flags. Others praised Bashar al-Asad, the Syrian president, while calling on Egypt's Hosni Mubarak to take a stand against Israel.

"I came here to stand alongside my brothers in Gaza and to stand against the Israeli aggression and rape of Gaza. Israel doesn't want peace," said Ismael Balaan, a 45-year-old telecommunications worker.

Nearby, followers of Muqtada al-Sadr, an Iraqi populist leader opposed to the US presence in his country, dressed in the black uniform of al-Sadr’s militia, danced while chanting against the US and Israel.

"We are protesting for the oppressed people in Gaza and against the Israeli bombing that has killed women and children," said Akram al-Musawi, a black-turbaned Sadrist. "We will resist all oppressors and anyone that kills women and children whether it's in Iraq, Lebanon, or Palestine."

One Iraqi born Palestinian, who asked not to be named, was critical of the demonstration, which he believed to be government orchestrated.

"If the Syrian government really cares about Palestine why don't they let in the Palestinians stuck in the al-Tanf refugee camp on the border?" he said, referring to the Iraqi-Palestinians living in the no-mans-land between Iraq and Syria


Protest attacked

Demonstrations also took place across Iraq.

Dozens of Palestinian refugees gathered in Baghdad's eastern Baladiyad neighbourhood chanting anti-Israeli slogans and waving messages of support for Gaza.

Dalil al-Qasoos, the Palestinian ambassador to Iraq, said: "I'd like to say to my relatives and to my people in Gaza that Gaza will remain steadfast in the face of Americans and Zionists whatever the plots and conspiracies hatched by tyrants and arrogant enemies."

In Mosul, a suicide bomber blew himself up among a crowd of demonstrators killing at least four people and injuring 20 others, police said.

 Source: Al Jazeera and agencies
Feedback Number of comments : 16
 
El
United Kingdom
28/12/2008
Arab street angry over Gaza attacks
The Arab Leaugue postponeds meeting "due to other meetings" For Gods sake wake up!almost 300 muslims lost their lives which is most important? Stand united in the face of real terror. May the Almighty wake up the masses and unite our hearts

American lady
United States
01/01/2009
Must be the Ayatollahs behind the protests
Since there is criticism of Arabs, it must be Persians or Turks behind the scenes organizing the protests. Don't muslims have jobs and things to do? Why do they have to protest so much? And why can't they be reasonable? They are so one-sided, they only see the wrong point of view. Truth means nothing to them.

Arabic lady
South Africa
02/01/2009
To the American lady .....wake up women!!can t you see the killing mechine bombing those innocents is made in your great country!!!!!!!

Muslim Lady
South Africa
02/01/2009
To the American Lady What wrong point of view, if this was innocent American women & children, the world reaction would have been different, because muslims are being massacred, they are now unreasonable and only see the wrong point. If you have no knowldge of what is happening then keep you comments to yourself.

American lady
United States
02/01/2009
The Muslims are asking for the God of Israel to fight against them. The Gazans are not innocent. They have been shooting rockets at Israel for years.

Free man
United States
02/01/2009
Any rally against the Indian massacre?
What about the Islamic terrorists who killed 300 real innocent people two months ago in India? I have not seen any rally, any protest, any Muslims crying for the victims. It was a massacre too and it was perpetrated by Muslims in hotels, coffee shops, restaurants, streets, against innocent people with no weapons. Looks like the only lives that matter to the Muslims are theirs, all the others can be killled by terrorists right now. I don't need any other demonstration about the lack of morals of the Muslims.

Claudia
Argentina
03/01/2009
Gaza
I'm from Buenos Aires Argentina, the 80% of my country is with Palestine. What is the matter with the leader of arabic countriess that they let Israel kill all they brothers? I think that all the world have to stop this holocaust. Please the arabic leaders should shout in hight voice with all the world to stop this holocaust of inocent people in Palestine !!! That God put light in they heart. Thank so much for let me say my opinion and congratulation for your site.

Jewish lady from Sderot
Israel
02/01/2009
The Israeli city Sderot and neighbouring settelments are bomebed 8 years from territory of Gaza streap. In order to stop that, Israel goverment has decided 3 years ago to transfer all israely citizens from Gaza territory. But the number of rockets just increased... Israel has no other way to protect lady from Sderot and her children.

Arabic lady
South Africa
03/01/2009
To jewish lady you know deep in your heart that Palastine is not yours and it will be never your country. So I think to protect your lives is so simple get out from there !!!!

yusra ali
United Arab Emirates
03/01/2009
wake up call for all leaders of arab world
i think killing of more than 400 people is enough 2 wake up the leaders of Arab world all Muslim countries should unite and take a strong military action against the Israelis they need to be thought a lesson peace talks wont help anymore.

zaynab
Kenya
05/01/2009
arab states angry over agaza attcks
To the American lady! what is wrong with you why do you give comments that are so pathetic its like ur not educated people are being killed innocent children women and innocent men and the Gazans are innocent the ones who have been shooting bombs at Israel are hamas please u live in a country that has very high education so please do get educated i mean go to the net or read the newspaper do something to get some education because clearly you have no idea of what is happening in Gaza !

Dan
Sweden
05/01/2009
To the American Lady
2000 of you were killed in 9/11. What did you do? You killed more a million i barbaric retaliation. Dont you American have any jobs and things to do more then waging war all over the world?

zaynab
Kenya
05/01/2009
Mr freeman this is exactly why i say that people need to be educated seriously do you really think that Muslims do not care about other people please sir! why is that when terrorists who are Muslims bomb countries people think that all Muslims are terrorists these so called"Muslim terrorists" are not Muslims they are pathetic people who claim to be Muslims,sir if u really educated yourself about Islam u would learn that real Muslims are peaceful, loving patient people who care about other people

Jeff
United States
05/01/2009
Take this from an american standpoint. Hamas and Hezbollah Violate the laws of war, and therefore require "Purging" in order to let the towns of south israel freedom from attack by an entity that wishes to pursue genocide upon them. As for Hamas, seeing them cheering in the streets at 9/11 makes me very unlikely to see there way on any issue. Ultimately, it is the fault of HAMAS for the causing of civilian deaths (as much as you deny it, its quite true) by embedding itself within the city.

Human Lady
United Arab Emirates
05/01/2009
Can we please stop arguing and just stand together as humans voting for peace??!! It doesnt matter whether you are muslim or jewish - we are all humans!!! We all share this planet earth! This war must stop from both sides!! Come on my fellow humans!!

United Earth
United States
06/01/2009
World is to blame - stop yelling and do something positive
Actually he has it backwards. It is the world to blame for constant inaction in this region. The best solution (not the most popular) is to have a Palestinion State next to the State of Israel Both parties will be unhappy, but is the only solution for the future. The world could force a peace like this but does nothing. Hamas launches missiles but world only speaks when Israel returns with a force unbalanced. Instead of blaming Hamas and Israel I blame the world for doing nothing. US = scapegoat

 
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