NewsMax Wires
Monday, April 8, 2002

Around 20,000 protesters marched through Paris Saturday, according to French police. Organizers estimated twice that number of attendees protested Israel's military thrust into Palestinian territory in a show of solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Other pro-Palestinian demonstrations took place Saturday in the French cities of Lille, Grenoble and Marseilles, among others.

Then late Sunday afternoon, thousands of pro-Israeli sympathizers gathered at the Place de la Republique and Place de la Bastille in Paris. The demonstrations, organized by two Jewish groups, were marred by some scuffles between groups of youths and police, witnesses sad.

A similar scenario played out elsewhere in Europe, with pro-Palestinian demonstrations staged in Germany, Switzerland, Greece and Sweden, among other countries.

In Italy, between 10,000 and 40,000 people massed in Rome Saturday to protest Israeli occupation of the West Bank. Another protest was scheduled Sunday afternoon in Brussels.

At the Place de la Bastille Sunday afternoon, hundreds of pro-Israeli sympathizers waved Jewish and French flags and brandished signs denouncing the wave of suicide bombings in Israel and anti-Jewish attacks in France. "No to terrorism, yes to peace," one sign proclaimed.

"New York, Paris, Jerusalem: Zero Tolerance against Terror," read another.

Others denounced Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for allegedly supporting suicide bombings and launching a "disinformation" campaign.

"I support Israel, and I'm against all these anti-Semitic acts in France" said Yolene Marciano, 39, a French Jew who attended the Paris rally with her husband and son. "I'm sick about what's happening in France. I don't want my children to grow up in this atmosphere."

Bias Against Israel

Protesters accused politicians and the media of bias against Israel.

"They're portraying Israel as invaders and aggressors," said Nancy Panino, 30. "That's not true."

In an speech to Socialist supporters Sunday, French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin, called on the country's Jews and ethnic Arabs not to import the Middle East struggles to France. France has about 600,000 Jews and about six million Muslims -- most of them ethnic Arabs -- the largest numbers of both faiths in Western Europe.

Sympathy toward the Palestinian cause, in particular, is running high in Europe in the face of the relentless military push in the West Bank and Gaza by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

European Union leaders have denounced Sharon's strong-arm methods, and called for a return to diplomacy and negotiation between the two sides. Several have also praised President George W. Bush's apparent shift this week, toward greater involvement in the region.

Added to the mix is a sense of anger and frustration, after Sharon rebuffed efforts by EU envoys to meet with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat this week, and push for a cease-fire and Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank.

"It was a brave gesture but one which ended in abject failure and humiliation," wrote Andrew Osborne, the Brussels correspondent for Britain's Guardian newspaper, summing up the mood of many.

"The EU tried and failed to make a difference this week but that must surely be preferable to doing nothing at all," he added, in reference to Washington's on-the-sidelines stance.

Call for Stronger Europe

Others, such as French presidential candidate Francois Bayrou, have called for a stronger Europe, to act as a voice of reason in the Middle East conflict and as a counterbalance to the United States.

"Who among us isn't suffering when we see we aren't able to say our piece on the Middle East?" Bayrou told a gathering of supporters near Paris Sunday.

Much criticism has also been leveled against the Bush administration, for appearing to do too little, too late.

"The awakening of Mr. Bush comes late," wrote France's Le Monde newspaper in a Friday editorial, commenting on the U.S. president's new and tougher demands on Israel. "Mr. Bush -- what horror! -- must echo Bill Clinton: Force a real, political negotiation on peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Or otherwise risk the abyss."

As he watched the pro-Israel demonstration at the Place de la Republique, Moroccan native Hicham Salhi said he was disappointed in the United States.

"I am scandalized," said Salhi, 33. "The U.S. has the power to create a just and equal world. George Bush says he will fight against terrorism. But you can't fight terrorism with bombs and planes.

"I support all people who are trying to liberate themselves," Salhi added. "Not just the Palestinians."

Copyright 2002 by United Press International.

All rights reserved.

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