Thousands of protesters demonstrated Sunday in at least four Indonesian cities against Israel's attacks on Lebanon, calling Israel a terrorist state and urging it to stop. At least 1,500 people in the capital, Jakarta, gathered at the city's main traffic circle, with some carrying large banners reading «Give a chance to peace.» Others shouted «God is Great.» The council and other Muslim organizations in Indonesia have called the U.S. and U.N. to stop Israel's campaign in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories. Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, has had near-daily rallies against Israel since its attacks on Gaza and Lebanon began more than three weeks ago, the Associated Press reported. The protesters in Jakarta said they planned to march later Sunday to the U.S. Embassy, where barbed wire encircled the building and hundreds of policemen stood guard with two water canons parked nearby. Most of the protesters in Jakarta were Muslims, but the gathering also included Christians and Buddhists. At least 500 protesters, most wearing white Muslim tunics, held an anti-Israel demonstration in Surabaya, the East Java provincial capital. Another 300 protesters held a similar rally in the central Java city of Yogyakarta, while 500 protested in Medan, Indonesia's third largest city. The Indonesian government has accused Israel of violating international law and called for an immediate cease-fire backed by a U.N.-led peacekeeping force.
