Fourth night of Hanukkah
Photo: Revital Azulay
Hizbullah supporters arrive on the scene
Photo: Revital Azulay
Protest in UK: Jewish organizations vs. Neturei Karta
Jews hold Hanukkah ceremony in front of Iranian embassy, protesting recent Holocaust denial conference and calling for Iranian intervention to secure release of kidnapped soldiers; ultra-Orthodox protestors join Hizbullah supporters in counter-rally
Hundreds of Jews and their friends on Monday lit candles in honor of the fourth night of Hanukkah in front of the Iranian embassy in London. They called for Iran "to end it's crimes and return the kidnapped soldiers home."
Opposite them stood a group of Hizbullah supporters, along with six Neturei Karta.
Denunciation
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They also held signs condemning the recent Holocaust denial conference in Iran.
Participants included parliament member and chairman of Conservative Friends of Israel James Arbuthnot, Labour Party member Louise Ellman and Lord Janner of the House of Lords.
Lighting candles in front of Iranian embassy (Photo: Revital Azulay)
Arbuthnot, who spoke at the ceremony, said that he had met last week with Karnit Goldwasser, the wife of Ehud, and was extremely impressed with her efforts to release her husband.
He called on Iran to order the release of the kidnapped soldiers.
"Iran doesn't just support the kidnapping, but also the rocket fire towards Israel. It is again arming Hizbullah and a few days ago held a conference denying the Holocaust," Arbuthnot said.
"Likewise, Iran calls again and again to wipe Israel off the map. It's clear that convincing Iran to change its policy requires a miracle, and thus Hanukkah an appropriate time for it," he added.
'How can you stand alongside Iran and Hizbullah?'
The fourth candle on the menorah was lit by Ben Alfgott, a survivor of the Sobibor death camp, who was invited to light the candle in front of the Iranian embassy as a protest to the nation's recent Holocaust denial conference.A short while after the start of the ceremony, dozens of Hizbullah supporters tried to disrupt it, protesting against Israel with the aid of a loudspeaker.
The Hizbullah supporters, who waved Hizbullah flags and pictures of Hassan Nasrallah, were accompanied by a number of Neturei Kart who waved signs against Zionism and the State of Israel.
Arguments broke out between the Neturei Karta and ceremony participants.
Alfgott asked one of them: "My whole family was annihilated in the Holocaust. How can you stand alongside Iran and Hizbullah?"
