By IINA,
Istanbul : Israel’s tank and troop assault on the Gaza Strip prompted widespread protest rallies across the Muslim world yesterday. The biggest rally of the day was held in Turkey where hundreds of thousands of people spilled into streets of Istabul to protest against Israeli action as the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) began diplomatic effort to end the sufferings of Gazans. Organizers of Istanbul rally said there were as many as 700,000 people in the 180,000-square-meter venue.
Demonstrators in Morocco — numbering 40,000, according to police — accused Arab leaders of failing the Palestinian people. Another protest was held in Beirut.
Anti-riot police fired teargas and water cannon at protesters near the US embassy compound in Awkar, north of Beirut, an AFP photographer said. Thousands also demonstrated outside the UN headquarters in Beirut. Demonstrations were also held in Jordan, Libya, Algeria, Pakistan, India and France. Further protests were expected, as anger grew over the Israeli military push — and diplomatic reaction, including UN failure to agree on a common resolution, and the European Union’s Czech-led delegation initially categorizing Israel’s action as “defensive” prior to an apology yesterday.