Demonstrators pushed through the police barricades shouting ‘Free, Free Palestine’, as several thousand people protested outside the entrance to the avenue leading to the Israeli embassy in west London yesterday.
Crowds surged forward when police surrounded a man who had thrown a shoe and started hitting him.
The metal railings scattered across Kensington High Street and cars were forced to halt as the demonstration advanced.
A huge Palestinian flag was unveiled as police attempts to clear the road failed.
Palestinian ambassador to the UK Manuel Hassassian spoke to News Line.
He said: ‘This demonstration reflects the anger of the Palestinian people against the atrocious crimes committed by the Israeli occupation forces against Palestinian civilians.
‘This aggression, even by Israeli standards, is unprecedented in terms of scale and intensity.
‘Israel is trying to crush the Palestinian resistance by creating havoc so as to continue with its ethnic cleansing process.
‘These war crimes are being committed by Israel while the international community is just watching and doing nothing.
‘The trade unions in Britain should boycott Israel and also put pressure on the British government to take a bold stand, by stopping trading and stopping diplomatic relations with Israel.
‘The unions have been in solidarity with us.
‘But we need that solidarity to be intensified, especially in the present circumstances.’
• See photo gallery for more pictures of Israeli Embassy picket
UNISON trade union member Amina Nasrallah said: ‘I’m here to free Gaza and against occupation and Israeli terrorism.
‘Under the siege, the people are starving, they have no hospitals, no electricity, no gas.
‘The Palestinian people are using home-made rockets against the most heavily armed country which has 200 nuclear warheads.
‘Its military power, with its F-16s and tanks, is only comparable with America.
‘The British trade unions must boycott Israel and put pressure on the British government to free the Palestinians from occupation, siege and hunger.’
National Union of Students member Ayman Sayam said: ‘I’m here to send a message that the Israeli racist terrorism is not acceptable.
‘Even if there is a cease-fire, Israel will have to pay.
‘There is no problem with Jews, Muslims and Christians living in Palestine, as long as the land of 1948 and 1967 is returned to its rightful owners.
‘It has to be under the banner of Palestine. Then there will be peace.’
Palestinian builder Givara Yasim said: ‘The working class must support the stopping of the war.
‘Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan are with the war.’
Rahed Arafat added: ‘The Gaza Strip has been closed for two years, no food and no medicine.
‘Here people can’t even stand the road being closed for one hour.
‘The news here just tells the people half the truth.
‘The working class should blockade Israel. They know more about Palestine than last year.
‘In Gaza, Israel called a family by phone to say “empty the home, we are going to drop bombs” and gave them one hour to get out.
‘If they hadn’t got a phone they would have killed the children and everyone in the home.’
Daud Abdullah, Muslim Council of Great Britain, said: ‘What has happened in Gaza could not have happened without the diplomatic and political cover of the Western governments.
‘The Israeli occupation and the attack on Gaza is one of a series of war crimes committed against a defenceless people.
‘We expect the British public to give their fullest support to the Palestinians to ensure the end of the siege of Gaza and international jurisdiction against the war criminals.’
