TURKEY: 'We are all Palestinians'

ISTANBUL — More than 5000 people assembled for a rally and march in Taksim Square on July 29 to demand that Israel halt its military offensive against Lebanon and the Palestinians in the Gaza strip. The demonstration was called by the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Trade Unions of Turkey and included large contingents from the Freedom and Solidarity Party, the Party of Socialist Democracy and the Party of Labour. Slogans chanted by the protesters included "Stop Israel", "We are all Palestinians" and "Israel, USA and the [ruling Turkish] Justice and Development Party are all murderers". Demonstrations against the Israeli offensive have occurred in cities around the world. On July 22, some 4000 people joined a protest called by the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago, the Council of American-Islamic Relation, the Arab American Action Network and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC). The same day, around 500 people marched to the US consulate in Auckland, where one protester pulled a US flag to half mast and waved a Palestinian flag to applause from the crowd.