Pro-Israel groups demonstrate in Germany against Hamas (Roundup)

Jan 11, 2009, 13:32 GMT

Frankfurt - Thousands of people attended demonstrations organized by pro-Israel groups in several German cities on Sunday against the Islamic extremist group Hamas.

The rallies generally began with a minute of silence for both Israelis and Palestinians killed during the long-running conflict.

Around 1,500 people gathering in the central German city of Frankfurt for a three-hour demonstration. They were opposed by about 100 supporters of the Palestinian Liberation Organization holding a counter-demonstration. Police said there was no violence.

Among the speakers at the Frankfurt demonstration was a former deputy chairman of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Michel Friedman.

In the capital Berlin, police counted about 500 demonstrators outside the landmark Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, a peace monument, among them the leader of the Left Party in the city-state of Berlin, Klaus Lederer.

In Munich, about 1,000 people gathered on the central square outside the town hall, the Marienplatz, to show support for Israel.

Charlotte Knobloch, president of the Central Council of Jews, told the Munich crowd, 'We will not remain silent and cannot remain silent as we see how the Hamas terrorists fire missiles at Israeli children, women and old people.'

Demonstrators waved the Israeli flag and changed, 'Israel must live.'

On Saturday, an estimated 35,000 people had demonstrated in Germany against Israel. Those rallies were mainly organized by ethnic Turks and Palestinians living in Germany.