Thousands protest in support of Palestine in West Asia, North Africa
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Several countries in the Middle East show their solidarity and support for Palestine after the heavy bombardment of "Israel".
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Iraqis hold a mass rally supporting the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Friday, Oct. 13, 2023., in Baghdad, Iraq (AP Photo/Anmar Khalil)
In response to Israeli attacks on Gaza, thousands of protestors flooded the streets of various Middle Eastern countries on Friday in support of Palestine.
"No to the occupation! No to America!" the demonstrators in central Baghdad shouted after leader Moqtada Sadr called for a protest "in support of Gaza" and against the Israelis.
"This rally is aimed at condemning what is happening in occupied Palestine, the bloodletting and the violation of rights," Abu Kayan, a protest organizer said.
Mass demonstrations are taking place all over the #Arab and #Islamic world to express solidarity and support for Palestine during the Israeli aggression on #Gaza, which has killed over 1,500 #Palestinians so far.#Palestine #GazaUnderAttack pic.twitter.com/lvFaQX0jY4
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) October 13, 2023
The besieged Gaza Strip has been heavily bombarded by "Israel" since Saturday after The Palestinian Resistance operation.
The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza announced yesterday that the number of martyrs rose to 1,900 and the number of wounded rose to 7,696 on Friday evening.
Videos posted on social media in Egypt showed a crowd of demonstrators singing in support of Gaza close to the Al-Azhar mosque in Cairo.
من جامع الأزهر العريق بمصر
— #سعوديون_مع_الاقصى (@Saudis2018) October 13, 2023
حشود ضخمة تهتف لفلسطين#جمعة_طوفان_الأقصى pic.twitter.com/sqsWiMmE8i
"Arab and Muslim countries have the duty and the responsibility to provide urgent humanitarian aid and help to the Palestinians of Gaza", the university of Al-Azhar said in a statement.
Rejecting America's bias towards "Israel"
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Iranian worshippers attend a pro-Palestinian rally before their Friday prayer in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Oct. 13, 2023 (AP Photo)
In Iran, pro-Palestine protests were also held on Friday. In Tehran, Iranian, Palestinian, and Lebanese Hezbollah flags were waved by protesters as they carried banners reading "Down with America" and "Down with Israel."
Similar events where the American and Israeli flags were burned also occurred in other places throughout Iran.
راهپیمایی پر خروش مردم انقلابی تهران برای حمایت از مردم مظلوم فلسطین و محکومیت جنایت رژیم صهیونیستی #Gazagenocide #IsraelisISIS pic.twitter.com/Y9J0g90LG8
— Yas Rajaby (@RajabyYas) October 13, 2023
Following a request for protests by the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood and various socialist and student groups, more than 20,000 people gathered in central Amman, close to the Grand Husseini Mosque, in Jordan, which has long enjoyed a peace treaty with its neighbor "Israel".
بالفيديو | "مطالبات بفتح الحدود"... طوفان بشري في العاصمة الأردنية عمان تلبية لنداء المقاومة الفلسطينية في #جمعة_طوفان_الأقصى#الاردن pic.twitter.com/l3CI6AhUXr
— قناة المنار (@TVManar1) October 13, 2023
The streets were packed with protesters who waved Palestinian flags and shouted, "The people want the liberation of Palestine."
One demonstrator stressed that they "reject America's bias" towards "Israel", and hundreds protested in other Jordanian cities.
Hezbollah fully prepared
In Bahrain, worshipers chanted "Death to Israel!" and "Death to America!" ahead of Friday prayers at Diraz mosque.
Hundreds of these worshipers joined later a protest march, some waving Palestinian flags and others stamping on Israeli and US emblems that were laid on the ground.
هتافات غاضبة في #البحرين نصرةً لفلسطين وتنديداً بالجرائم الإسرائيلية بحق #غزة.#طوفان_الأقصى #الثورة_الكبرى #فلسطين #غزة pic.twitter.com/HcIf4eVO0G
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) October 13, 2023
An AFP correspondent saw police handcuffing a worshiper who disrupted Friday prayers by shouting at the imam, "Speak about Palestine! Gaza is under bombs!", in the Saudi capital Riyadh, where protests are not permitted. However, the imam answered that a religious site "was not made for politics".
Supporters of Hezbollah in Lebanon gathered in Beirut's southern suburbs in support of Palestinians. During their gathering, Hezbollah deputy chief Naim Qassem said they are "fully prepared" to join Hamas in the war.
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Hezbollah supporters wave Lebanese, Palestinian and their party's flags, as they hold pro-Gaza placards during a protest to show their solidarity with Palestine, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 13, 2023 (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
"When the time comes for action, we will take it," he said, referring to joining Hamas in the war against "Israel".
Around 1,000 people in Algiers went into the street to show their support and solidarity with Palestinians.
In France, President Emmanuel Macron called yesterday on "Israel" to deal a "strong" but "just" response to the Hamas operation, and the government banned "pro-Palestinian demonstrations because they are likely to generate disturbances to public order."
Read: Int'l reactions after 'Israel' ordered forced displacement in Gaza
