Thousands of protesters rally against Israel
By OMAR SINAN, Associated Press Writer Omar Sinan, Associated Press Writer – Fri Jan 9, 2:54 pm ETCAIRO, Egypt – An estimated 50,000 people protested in the Egyptian coastal city of Alexandria after Friday prayers, joining thousands of people in more than a dozen cities in the Middle East and elsewhere rallying against the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip.
The protests coincided with a call from Libyan President Moammar Gadhafi for Arab countries to allow their citizens to fight the Israelis in Gaza — the strongest such push by an Arab leader since Israel began its operation against the militant Palestinian group Hamas two weeks ago.
"I call on the Arabs to open the gate for volunteers to fight with the Palestinians," Libya's official news agency JANA quoted Gadhafi as saying.
The protesters who thronged the streets of Alexandria berated Egypt for not opening its border with Gaza, chanting "Shame on Egypt." Egypt has allowed a trickle of wounded Palestinians to enter the country but has resisted demands to grant more of Gaza's 1.4 million citizens entry.
The leader of Friday prayers in the Iranian capital of Tehran also criticized Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak for not opening the country's border with Gaza.
"Are you a servant of Israel?" said Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati before thousands of Iranians took to the streets chanting "Death to Israel" and "Death to America."
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Libyan President Moammar Gadhafi has issued the strongest call by an Arab leader for other nations to join the fight against the nation of Israel. Across the world, and certainly within the Middle East, nation after nation is rising up condemning Israel and demanding they withdraw from Gaza. It will bear watching, how Gadhfi will position Libya as the conflict in Gaza continues.
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