Rallies Support Palestinians Amid Calls for a Third Intifada

Thousands of Egyptians rallied in Cairo, Alexandria and El-Arish Friday to push their rulers to do more to help the Palestinians. Chants of "With our souls, with our blood, we redeem you Palestine," permeated marches towards the Israeli consulate in Alexandria after dawn prayers.

Egyptian authorities have banned a march activists are preparing to the Gaza Strip on Sunday. "We want to prevent large numbers of people from entering Sinai for the day of the Great March," an Egyptian authority said.

Some are trying to use Sunday's planned commemoration of the Nakba, which Palestinians mark as the anniversary of their "catastrophe" following the State of Israel's creation, to launch a third Palestinian intifada.

Approximately 500 Jordanian protestors marched in Amman calling for the establishment of a Palestinian state, the right of return, and demanding that the Israeli ambassador be sent home. "The people want to liberate Palestine," protestors chanted.

Palestinians living in the West Bank received tens of thousands of text messages on Thursday inviting them to take part in rallies on Friday and Sunday. Israeli Defense Force soldiers and Palestinians clashed on Friday throughout the West Bank and in Jerusalem, with Israeli police arresting 11 protestors.

Israeli security officials are on heightened alert in preparation for events on Sunday, and the IDF has increased its presence in points of potential contention.

Palestinians in Lebanon plan to bus in and stage a march towards the border with Israel on Sunday.

In late March, Facebook removed an intifada page on its social networking site that called for a mass march into Israel from neighboring countries, after it was discovered that the page contained calls for violence. Thereafter, an "official website" of the "Third Palestinian Intifada" was created in Arabic. The website explains the newest intifada is "a group of marches of millions planned by Palestinian, Arab and Muslim youth and Liberals in all the Earth" with the goal of "the liberation of Palestine" "from the sea to the river…and from the river to the sea." The website maintains a schedule of activities to begin on Friday around the world culminating with the commemoration of the Nakba on Sunday with "marches heading toward Zionist embassies and consulates," and "Zionist settlements and checkpoints."

Related Topics: IPT News

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