Thousands call for Mid-East peace

Flags and placards filled Trafalgar Square

A rally has arrived at Trafalgar Square to call for peace in Israel and Gaza, as well as recognition of Israel's view of the conflict there.

Organisers told the BBC they want both Gaza and Israel to be free, but that they believe people are downplaying the rocket hits against Israel.

Police said they estimated 4,000 people are at the event in central London.

It comes after prominent British Jews wrote an open letter calling on Israel to halt operations in Gaza.

'Not disproportionate'

The organisers of the rally have called for a sustained ceasefire and an end to all violence in the region.

They said the number of Israeli deaths should not be considered disproportionate to the number of Palestinian deaths because Israelis were lucky enough to escape their houses before they were hit by Palestinian rockets.

The event is the first major rally organised by the Jewish community in the UK over Israel's offensive against Palestinian militants in Gaza.

We look upon the increasing loss of life on both sides of the Gaza conflict with horror Letter by prominent British Jews

A small group of pro-Palestinian protesters - estimated by police to number between 80 and 100 - were being kept separate from the main body of the rally by mounted police.

Another pro-Israel peace rally is also being held in Manchester.

Meanwhile the letter, published in the Observer, warns the military action, far from improving security, will strengthen extremism and destabilise the region.

Prominent rabbis, academics and political figures supported the open letter, including Rabbi Dr Tony Bayfield, head of the Movement for Reform Judaism; Sir Jeremy Beecham, former chairman of the Labour party; Professor Shalom Lappin of the University of London and Baroness Julia Neuberger.

They write: "We look upon the increasing loss of life on both sides of the Gaza conflict with horror.

"We have no doubt that rocket attacks into southern Israel, by Hamas and other militant Palestinian groups, are war crimes against Israel.

Feelings ran high at a pro-Palestinian rally in London and arrests were made

"No sovereign state should, or would, tolerate continued attacks and the deliberate targeting of civilians.

"Israel had a right to respond and we support the Israeli government's decision to make stopping the rocket attacks an urgent priority.

"However, we believe that now only negotiations can secure long-term security for Israel and the region."

BoD chief executive John Benjamin said despite support for Israel's position, the events are primarily a call for peace.

'8,000 rockets'

He said: "Certainly I think the people who will be there will understand that Israel has felt it necessary to take action to stop the many thousands of rockets that have been launched from Gaza in the last several years.

"We're not just talking about the last two weeks but over the course of years I think there have been something like 8,000 rockets.

"So, there is an understanding of that position but it's not a rally that is either commending exactly what's going on on day by day, or even, as British Jews and British Christians and others who are coming together, making a statement about the military action - it's a call for peace."

On Saturday thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched through London to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

The protest started peacefully but there were confrontations as police tried to move demonstrators away from the gates of the Israeli embassy.

Protests also took place in Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Belfast, Newcastle and Southampton.