National
Thousands demonstrate across Spain against 'genocide' in Gaza
By h.b. - Jan 11, 2009 - 8:15 PM
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Spanish Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, has said that it was his job to call for an immediate cease fire in Gaza, and he called on the leader of the Partido Popular, Mariano Rajoy, to do the same. He said he lamented that Israel continued to bombard Gaza and that he was loyal to his Socialist ideas and in favour of peace.
Speaking at a rally in Orense, ahead of the forthcoming Galician regional elections, Zapatero centred his speech on the Middle East and the economic crisis. He did not mention the chaos on the roads and at airports over the weekend because of the snow.
Meanwhile 250,000 people, according to the organisers, took to the streets of Madrid against the ‘genocide in Palestine’. ‘Genocide is not war’ was one of the chants of the demonstrators who left the Plaza de Cibeles at noon and then held a rally in the Puerta del Sol, where there were calls for an immediate cease fire in Gaza.
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On Saturday more than 30,000 people took to the streets of Barcelona also demanding an end to the bombing of Gaza and a commercial boycott of Israel. The demonstration started in the Plaza Universitat and ended in Sant Jaume. Many of the demonstrators carried photos of Palestinian children killed in the conflict.
A similar demonstration also took place despite the rain and cold on Saturday in Valencia outside the City Hall.
The Israeli embassy in a statement accused the Spanish people of having double standards, and asked why they did not demonstrate in the past against the Hamas aggression.