January 06, 2009	Tuesday	Muharram 08, 1430

KARACHI, Jan 5: A rally was taken out here on Monday in protest against the ongoing Israeli aggression and massacre of hundreds of Palestinians in the Gaza strip.The participants of the rally expressed their solidarity with the Palestinian people and Hamas against the brutality of Israeli forces.

According to international news agencies, the number of people killed in Gaza during the 10-day Israeli offensive stands at more than 500, with some 2,500 wounded. Most fatalities are said to be civilians.

The Jamaat-i-Islami organised the rally. The participants marched from the Empress Market to the Regal Chowk.

They were holding party flags and banners inscribed with anti-Israel and anti-US slogans. People were shouting slogans against Israel and calling for Jihad against the Zionist state. They demanded an immediate stop to Israeli savagery.

They also burnt Israeli flags and effigies of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Jamaat-i-Islami leader Prof Ghafoor Ahmad, Mohammad Hussain Mehanti, Nasrullah Shaji, Hameedullah advocate, Laeeq Khan, Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman, Yunus Barai and others addressed the rally.

Condemning Israeli oppression in the strongest possible terms the speakers were also critical of the Muslim states, including Pakistan, over their silence while their people were staging mass rallies in support of the Palestinian people across the globe.

They referred to massive protest demonstrations organised in New York, London, Paris, Italy, Indonesia, Malaysia, Tunis and in other countries against Israel.

The speakers warned that the day was not far when Israel would be burnt in the fire ignited by the Zionist rulers of Israel in Gaza and the Palestinians would emerge victorious, as their resistance movement was just.

The speakers slammed the United Nations Security Council, and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference for their failure to take notice of the Israeli brutalities against the Palestinians in the Gaza strip.

Gaza is currently blockaded by the Israeli army which has stopped food and other essential supplies to the Palestinian people.

Addressing the rally, JI leader Prof Ghafoor Ahmed said that despite the appeal of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to stop attacks, Israeli tanks were pounding targets in Gaza and air strikes were continuing unabated.

Israel got away with scorning world opinion as it got blanket support of the US, he said.

The JI leader said Palestine was a country of the Palestinians where, under a US, Russian and British conspiracy, thousands of Jews were brought in from all over the world and were settled.

After listening to the speeches, the participants of the rally dispersed peacefully.