Venezuela: Thousands protest Mideast violence

Protesters burned an Israeli flag Thursday outside the country's embassy in Venezuela and demanded an end to Israel's military offensive in Lebanon, while crowds also took to the streets in Mexico and El Salvador to press for a halt to the fighting.

More than 2,000 protesters, including Venezuelans of Arab descent, marched through Caracas waving Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian flags. Many were die-hard supporters of President Hugo Chavez, who has denounced the Israeli bombardments in Lebanon as "genocide."

Dozens of protesters pumped their fists in the air and shouted "Viva Lebanon!" when one man held up a poster of Hizbullah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah. Others raised a banner reading, "Stop the genocide by the Zionist killers!"

Venezuela has a sizeable Arab immigrant community, including many Lebanese.

More than 300 people have been killed in Lebanon since Israel's campaign began, according to Lebanese officials. At least 29 Israelis have been killed.

Protester Abdul Chaaban, 50, said he feared for the lives of his relatives in southern Lebanon, which was hit by Israeli warplanes again on Thursday as Hizbullah guerrillas fired more rocket volleys into Israel.

"There is no justification for Israel's actions," said Chaaban, holding up a Lebanese flag.

The demonstrators marched several kilometers (miles) from a city park in eastern Caracas to the Israeli Embassy, where protesters burned an Israeli flag.

Chavez on Wednesday night said the Israelis "are bombing entire cities - a true genocide."

His government has said in the past that it maintained good relations with Israel. Israeli Embassy officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

'Israel committing massacre'

In Mexico City, meanwhile, about 100 people from the Lebanese immigrant community gave a letter to UN representatives saying that "Lebanon cannot be kept as a battlefield," and urging peace. They marched to the Lebanese Embassy, where they held a moment of silence and left a vase of roses outside.

"It is a peaceful protest to repudiate the war and the amount of innocent blood that has been shed," said Jose Luis Nacif, vice president of the Lebanese Center in Mexico City.

In El Salvador, protesters gathered outside the Israeli Embassy and criticized Salvadoran President Tony Saca, who is of Palestinian descent, for not denouncing Israel.

"We want to condemn the massacre that Israel is committing in Palestinian and Lebanese territories. It is an injustice," said Jhon Nasser, from the Friends of Palestinians Association in El Salvador.

In Chile, President Michelle Bachelet said an air force plane will fly to the Syrian capital of Damascus Friday to bring home Chileans and other Latin Americans who fled there from the fighting in Lebanon. The Chilean foreign ministry said about 150 Chileans were believed to have been in Beirut when fighting broke out.

Venezuelans also have been evacuated from Lebanon to Madrid, Spain.

Officials in Sao Paulo said at least 700 Brazilians were seeking help from Brazil's government to leave Lebanon. Some 100 Brazilians were brought back to Brazil earlier this week, government officials said.