An estimated 8000 demonstrators gathered in the Tunisian capital on Saturday to express their support for the Palestinian people and the Palestinian leadership, calling on the world community to put a halt to the continuous Israeli aggression taking place in Palestine, according to the Palestine News Agency (WAFA).
Protestors included government ministers, party leaders, and Palestinian officials. They waved posters of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and of President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.
Some held banners that read, 'All Arab people call to end the Israeli occupation in Palestine.'
'This popular meeting is aimed at supporting the Palestinian cause, the symbol of the Palestinian struggle and the leader of the Palestinian people Yasser Arafat, who is elected by the Palestinians as their President," Hamed Karoui deputy chairman of the Democratic Constitutional (RCD) told the crowd.
Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi and Foreign Minister Habib Ben Yahia, as well as Farouq Kaddoumi who heads the PLO political department, joined the rally at an indoor stadium in the El Menzah district.
For his part, Kaddoumi criticized some U.S. officials for being "carried away by the Israeli current although it knows that Israel is occupying the Palestinian land."
Furthermore, he also told the masses that, 'God willing we will be meeting together in Jerusalem with President Arafat soon'. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
