JAKARTA, April 17: More than 10,000 members of a conservative Indonesian Muslim party staged peaceful anti-Israel protests in several cities on Sunday, including a major one in Jakarta outside the US embassy. In the capital, 5,000-10,000 protesters from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) shouted anti-American slogans outside the heavily guarded embassy, witnesses said. Many waved Palestinian flags.

Speakers lashed out at Israel and demanded Washington stop financial or political support for the Jewish state. Traffic in the centre of the city was disrupted for several hours.

Smaller protests by party members were held in at least three other cities across the world’s most populous Muslim nation, the official Antara news agency reported.

Indonesia does not have diplomatic relations with Israel and there are periodic street protests in the country against the Jewish state. Sunday’s rally also comes days before a summit of Asian and African leaders in Jakarta, where support for the Palestinians will be one of the key items on the agenda.—Reuters