Tens of thousands of Palestinian supporters take to streets across Middle East and beyond

Tens of thousands of protesters rallied across the Middle East and beyond on Friday in support of Palestinians and condemnation of Israel as it intensified its strikes on Gaza in retaliation for Hamas assaults.

“No to the occupation! No to America!” chanted demonstrators gathered in central Baghdad after Moqtada Sadr,  the Shia leader, called for a protest “in support of Gaza” and against Israel.

“This rally is aimed at condemning what is happening in occupied Palestine, the bloodletting and the violation of rights,” said Abu Kayan, an organiser of the protest.

Jewish communities in France and elsewhere were also holding rallies in solidarity with Israel after the cross-border Hamas assault from Gaza, the deadliest killing spree against Israeli civilians in the country’s 75-year history.

France and Germany banned pro-Palestinian demonstrations and several Western countries said they had stepped up security at synagogues and Jewish schools fearing that protests could lead to acts of violence.

Hamas, which rules Gaza, urged Palestinians to rise up in protest against Israel’s bombardment of the blockaded coastal enclave, calling on them to march on Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem and to confront Israeli troops in the occupied West Bank.

The compound in East Jerusalem’s walled Old City is Islam’s third holiest site after Mecca and Medina, and the most sacred to Jews, who refer to it as the Temple Mount.

Last weekend’s assault by Hamas – designated a terrorist organisation by the United States, European Union and other governments – on Israeli communities killed at least 1,300 people. Most were civilians, including women and children.

Israel has since been hammering densely populated Gaza with air strikes and artillery fire and more than 1,500 Palestinians have been killed. A ground invasion of the besieged enclave appears to be imminent.

There has been strong support and sympathy for Israel from Western governments and many citizens over the Hamas attacks, but the Israeli response has also prompted anger, particularly in the Arab and Muslim world.

In Baghdad on Friday, tens of thousands of Iraqis rallied in central Tahrir Square, waving Palestinian flags and burning the Israeli flag while chanting anti-U.S. and anti-Israeli slogans.

“We are ready to join the fight and rid the Palestinians of the Israeli atrocities,” said Muntadhar Kareem, 25, a teacher.

He was dressed in a white shroud, like most of the protesters, to symbolise their readiness to fight to the death.

Anti-Israel protests were also held in Iran on Friday.

State-organised rallies were held across Iran – whose government is Hamas’s main backer and one of Israel’s principal foes – in support of the militant group and against the Israeli bombardment of Gaza, state TV reported.

“Death to Israel. Death to Zionism!” shouted demonstrators, many carrying Palestinian flags and those of the powerful Lebanese armed group Hizbollah.

Similar gatherings took place in other cities across Iran, where American and Israeli flags were burned.

Iran, a country with a predominantly Shiite Muslim but non-Arab population, financially and militarily supports Hamas. Israel is their mutual sworn enemy.

In Jordan, which has long had a peace treaty with neighbouring Israel, more than 10,000 people gathered in central Amman, near the Grand Husseini Mosque, after a call for protests from the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood, and several Leftist and youth groups.

In the Gulf state of Bahrain, hundreds of worshippers chanted “Death to Israel!” and “Death to America!” ahead of Friday prayers at Diraz mosque.

Hundreds of people then joined a protest march, some of them waving Palestinian flags and others stamping on Israeli and US emblems that were laid on the ground.

At the event, Naim Qassem, the Hizbollah deputy chief, said it  would be “fully prepared” to join its ally Hamas in the war against Israel when the time is right. The group has already clashed with Israel across the Lebanese border in the past week.

Other rallies were organised in Palestinian camps as well as Lebanese cities where Hizbollah has a strong presence.

There were also protests in Pakistan and in non-Muslim countries including Japan.

In Indonesia, Islamic cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, the suspected mastermind of the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people, joined dozens of people in a march against Israel in the Javanese city of Solo.

“We cannot be weak in facing Israel,” he said in a speech to protesters waving Palestinian flags.

In the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka, activists protested against Israel’s actions after Friday prayers at the main mosque. Members of Japan’s Muslim community demonstrated near the Israeli embassy in Tokyo, holding signs and chanting “Israel, terrorist” and “Free Palestine”.

In Sri Lanka, protesters held up signs saying, “Palestine you will never walk alone”. Protesters also took to the streets in India’s Kashmir region, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Egypt.

Pro-Palestinian rallies were planned in several European cities for later on Friday.

In France, where Emmanuel Macron, the president, on Thursday called on Israel to deal a “strong” but “just” response to the Hamas attack. The French government issued a ban on “pro-Palestinian demonstrations because they are likely to generate disturbances to public order”.