Thousands march around world to support Palestinians

Tens of thousands of activists have marched through Paris, Rome and American cities in protests demanding Israel stop its offensive in the West Bank and expressing solidarity with the Palestinians.

Around the United States, hundreds of people protested, calling Israel's offensive in the West Bank tantamount to the exploits of Nazi Germany and demanding that Washington intervene in the escalating crisis.

In Paris, more than 20,000 people marched to the Place de la Bastille, where hundreds of police stood by. Some protesters carried shredded American flags and shouted slogans against Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

"Sharon Assassin" and "Arabs, Jews together against Sharon," they chanted in the protest organised by dozens of pro-Palestinian, anti-racist and Communist groups.

Supporters of Israel will march in Paris and other cities on Sunday, with a dual goal of backing Israel and denouncing a series of anti-Semitic attacks in France in recent weeks.

In Rome, about 20,000 protesters marched through the centre of the city, ending up at a rally in Piazza del Popolo, where the crowd swelled to about 50,000 people.

A few marchers at the front of Saturday's procession wore black face masks and bandanas like those worn by Palestinian militants. Others carried banners calling for "Intifada until victory," and chanted for a "Liberated Palestine".

Italy's three main unions and two major leftist parties, however, decided at the last minute not to participate in the march, amid criticism of the protest by Jewish groups.

Other pro-Palestinian marches took place in smaller French and Italian cities. A protest in Bern, Switzerland, drew about 9,000 people. In Sydney, Australia, some 5,000 activists marched, shouting "Free Palestine" and waving flags and placards, to the Israeli and US consulates.

In New York, hundreds of people marched across the Brooklyn Bridge to City Hall carrying signs that read "Sharon Hitler". Similar protests were held Friday and Saturday in Florida, Ohio, New Jersey and California.