More than 60,000 demonstrators have turned out in Tel Aviv for the largest peace rally in Israel since the second intifada erupted 19 months ago. The rally was called to demand Israel’s withdrawal from the Palestinian territories. Peace Now, one of the rally organisers, claimed the protest was the biggest peace demonstration since the outbreak of the Palestinian intifada in September 2000.
"This is the first time since the intifada that we have had such a massive demonstration with people in clear opposition to the government," said Peace Now spokesman Arye Arnon.
"This is radical. This turnout is on the basis that one day we will return to the 1967 borders with Jerusalem as the capital of two states and the elimination of the settlements," Arnon said.
Peace Now spokeswoman Gali Golan put the number of demonstrators at over 100,000 but the figure was not confirmed by police.
Speaking from the podium, Sarid warned if Israel attacked Gaza, "they [Israelis] would do it without us," he added.
Former justice minister and leading Labour dove Yossi Beilin accused Sharon of leading the nation into a tragedy.
"We are told Sharon is a man of peace but it is not true: he doesn't want go to the negotiating table because he has nothing to say," he said.
"Sharon is dragging us into a catastrophe."
"The main thing that killed the peace process happened here seven years ago when Yitzak Rabin was killed," Beilin said, his voice breaking with emotion.
"I promise Yitzak Rabin that we will finish the job."
The rally was organised by the Peace Now movement and an umbrella group of nine organisations called the Peace Coalition, under the theme of "Get out of the (Palestinian) territories for the sake of Israel."
Rabin Square is the site where Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated by a Jewish extremist on November 4, 1995.
Earlier Saturday, about 150 members the Arab-Jewish group Taayush ("co-existance" in Arabic) arrived at the Kissufim crossing point between Israel and the Gaza Strip, in a fleet of three buses calling on soldiers to return home.
Chanting "Soldiers Come Home", and "End the Occupation", the protesters also referred to Defence Minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer by his original name, calling out "Fuad, Fuad, how many children have you killed this morning?"
Police blocked the group about 50 yards from the checkpoint.
AFP