Anti-Erdogan sign
Photo: Yoav Zitun
Protestors: Turkey's Erdogan a terrorist
Some 1,000 Israelis rally outside Turkish embassy in Tel Aviv, condemn Ankara's conduct in wake of flotilla incident; demonstrators hurl stones at building, hold up signs slamming Prime Minister Erdogan as fascist
About 1,000 people demonstrated Thursday evening outside Turkey's embassy in Tel Aviv, expressing their anger over Ankara's conduct in the wake of the legal raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla.
At one point in the rally, a female protestor attempted to raise the Israeli flag on the embassy's fence but was pushed back by police officers.
Some protestors hurled stones and a smoke grenade at the embassy. Three people were arrested by police at the scene, as mounted officers and riot police attempted to keep the demonstrators at bay.
Many of those present outside the Yarkon Street consulate held up Israeli flags and signs condemning the Turkish government. "Erdogan is a terrorist," some chanted, referring to Turkey's leader, while others chanted "Let the IDF win" and "Zoabi, go to Gaza," referring to the Arab-Israeli Knesset member who was aboard the raided ship.
Turkish Anger
Thousands of Turks attend funeral at Istanbul mosque, condemn Israel over Gaza flotilla raid. 'Israel is the angel of death,' crowd chants
Some protestors carried signs charging that Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan is a fascist. Other participants held up Armenian flags, expressing their sympathy over the mass murder of the Armenian people carried out by the Turks early in the 20th Century.
Rallies across the nation
Earlier today, Israelis continued to rally across the nation in support of the IDF. About 200 people rallied at the Alonim junction in the north, holding up Israeli flags and lauding the army and Navy commandoes.
Earlier Thursday, tens of thousands of Turks gathered in Istanbul for prayers for activists killed in Israel's raid, condemning the Jewish state and shouting support for Hamas.
"Damn Israel! Israel is the angel of death!" chanted the crowd which overflowed the sprawling courtyard of the Fatih Mosque, waving Turkish and Palestinian flags, and declaring "we're all soldiers of Hamas."
Sharon Roffe-Ofir and AFP contributed to the story
