Protests mark 7th day of Gaza violence

Protests against the Israeli bombardment of the Hamas-run Palestinian territory, now in its seventh day, have swept several Mideast capitals and other major cities worldwide as demonstrator condemn Israel's air strikes which have killed more than 400 and wounded about 1,700 others. More than 10,000 Muslims marched through Indonesia's capital on Friday to protest the ongoing bombing raids in Gaza, aiming fake missiles labeled "Target: Tel Aviv, Israel" at the U.S. Embassy. Men, women and children attending the rally in Jakarta organized by the Islamic-based Justice and Prosperity Party waved Indonesian and Palestinian flags and shouted "Allahu akbar," Arabic for "God is great." Many wore traditional white robes and held banners that read: "Save Palestine from Israel, the terrorist." They marched to the U.S. Embassy, which was guarded by hundreds of police. "President-elect (Barack) Obama, we're watching you," party leader Tifatul Sembiring told the crowd. "If you want peace in the world, change the U.S. attitude toward Israel, don't support Israel." Police estimated that at least 10,000 people were at the demonstration in Jakarta, but Associated Press reporters at the scene said the numbers were much higher. Protests were also held after Friday prayers in other Indonesian cities, in what was the largest turnout since Israel began the operation last Saturday, intended to end weeks of intensifying rocket fire from Gaza. The vast majority of Indonesian Muslims practice a moderate form of Islam. Although they support the creation of a Palestinian state, most oppose violence against Israel.

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YouTube | January 3, 2009

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