Thousands join Pro-Palestinian rallies

Protesters have turned out in London and Paris to demonstrate against the Israeli offensive in Gaza, which has claimed scores of civilian lives.

Protesters rally outside the Egyptian embassy in London on July 18, 2014, against the regime that has not taken action against the Israeli military action in Gaza. (AFP)

Protesters rally outside the Egyptian embassy in London on July 18, 2014, against the regime that has not taken action against the Israeli military action in Gaza. (AFP)

Thousands of people have joined a pro-Palestinian rally in London, chanting "Israel is a terror state", while protesters defying a ban in Paris clashed with riot police blocking their march.

The London rally organisers said they expected a turnout of up to 20,000 people on the march from Prime Minister David Cameron's office to the Israeli embassy.

In Paris, despite a rare police ban and warnings from President Francois Hollande, hundreds began massing for their march but clashed with police who blocked their route.

The demonstrators threw rocks and bottles at anti-riot squads, which responded with tear gas lobbied into the streets.

The ban, which Hollande had said was to preserve "public order" following violence after similar marches, applied only to Paris.

Thousands turned out in several other French cities for authorised demonstrations against the ongoing Israeli offensive in Gaza.

On July 13, pro-Palestinian demonstrators tried to storm two synagogues in Paris during a rally, and clashed with Israeli supporters.

Twelve days of violence between Israeli forces and Hamas have led to more than 335 deaths, the majority of them Palestinian civilians.

In London, demonstrators held up placards pleading for Israel to end its "attacks on Gaza", and reading "Stop the bombing, free Palestine", "Stop Israeli state terror, join the socialists" and "End Israeli apartheid".

The left-wing Stop the War Coalition, one of the organisers of the march, condemned British and US support for Israel as "nothing less than collusion with war crimes killing women, children and disabled people".


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