Bomb scare at Paris book fair

Thousands of visitors to the Paris book fair were ordered on Sunday to evacuate the premises during the literary event which this year is celebrating Israeli writers despite a Muslim boycott.

Organizers asked visitors to leave the Paris exhibition hall for a security check following an anonymous phone call reporting that a bomb had been placed in the compound. The visitors gathered outside the compound for about an hour and were allowed to return to the building after the incident was proved to be a false alert.

Several Arab and Muslim countries and writers groups are boycotting the book fair because Israeli writers have been invited to mark the 60th anniversary of the creation of the Jewish state.

Amos Oz, David Grossman and Avraham B. Yehoshua are among the 39 Israeli authors invited to the four-day book fest that opened on Friday.

A. B. Yehohushua told Ynet, "There was indeed a report about a bomb. All those present at the literary event were evacuated. Everyone is okay."

Israeli Ambassador to France Daniel Shek said that "a situation in which one phone call can spoil this experience for thousands of celebrators is an annoying situation.

"Our success has already been made and we will deal with the politics. The organizers say that the honored country's store has never sold books for such a large sum."

Pro-Palestinian demonstration outside book fair (Photo: AP)

Earlier Sunday, pro-Palestinian demonstrated gathered outside the book fair in protest of the "Gaza holocaust". A large Palestinian flag was tied to one of the traffic lights and a Hizbullah flag could also be seen among the signs carried by the protestors.

The demonstrators chanted slogans against French President Nicolas Sarkozy, accusing him of "collaborating with Israel."

President Shimon Peres, in Paris on a state visit, opened the fair last week. He condemned the boycott, which he said is an action that can hurt only those involved

AFP, AP, Neta Sela and Merav Yudilovitch contributed to this report