Thousands of left-wing activists arrived at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv Saturday night to protest against the Gaza war.
The protesters were marching in the streets and carrying flags reading "Stop the fire" and "Children in Gaza and Sderot wish to live."
Knesset members Dov Khenin (Hadash) and Ahmad Tibi (United Arab List-Ta'al) were among the political figures who attended the rally.
"I came here to demonstrate along with thousands of citizens in Tel Aviv and all across the country, Jews and Arabs alike, who are calling to stop this war, which is a disaster. It hasn't solved the security problems in the south, and nothing good will come out of it," Khenin told Ynet.
"We came here to demand an end to the war, an agreement on a ceasefire, the opening of the border crossings and a prisoner exchange deal," he said. "This will be the outcome anyway, and no unnecessary blood should be spilled in the meantime."
Tibi added that "eventually there will be diplomatic negotiations on a truce, so why carry on with this phase of the war?"
The demonstrators chanted "Defense Minister Barak, how many children have you murdered today?"
Hundreds of right-wing activists who demonstrated opposite the leftists in support of the IDF's ground incursion in Gaza chanted "You are the cancer of this country".
Likud MK Gilad Erdan, who took part in the rightists' protest, said the High Court erred in its decision to allow protesters to "wave enemy flags while Israel is at war."
"The hundreds of people who arrived here to demonstrate opposite (the leftists) are proof that the sane majority support the annihilation of terror and Hamas in Gaza."
Amnon Meranda contributed to the report
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