Pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Amsterdam and Rotterdam

Demonstrations in support of the Palestinians took place again in the Netherlands on Sunday. In Amsterdam, an estimated several hundred demonstrators gathered. About 5,000 people gathered at the Binnenrotte in Rotterdam.

The protesters in Rotterdam waved Palestinian, Turkish, and Moroccan flags and held two minutes of silence for the victims of the Gaza war, according to an ANP reporter. Before the minute of silence, they chanted "Free, free Palestine." At Rotterdam City Hall, there was a small show of support for Israel. About 10 people waved Israeli flags and carried a sign reading "Never again now."

The demonstration in Amsterdam took place at Plein '40-'45 and lasted until 3:45 p.m. Almost everyone carried a flag or a protest sign, observed another ANP reporter. Among them were Palestinian flags. The protest signs bore slogans such as "Time for real change," "Palestine is an issue for all Muslims," and "Two-state solution = betrayal." One young girl carried a protest sign that read "This is not war, this is genocide." Slogans were also chanted, such as "Gaza, we are by your side. Liberation is near" and "the source of all evil, the occupying state."

The demonstration proceeded in an orderly manner, which was also called for by the organizers. Dozens of security forces in orange vests were also present. On the back of their vests was the name of the demonstration's organizer, Hizb ut Tahrir.

Demonstrations in support of the Palestinians were also held in several other locations on Saturday, including The Hague and Maastricht. Last week, some demonstrations had been unruly. On Wednesday, for example, the police intervened at the central train station in The Hague. The day before, hundreds of people demonstrated near the Israeli Embassy in The Hague, and riots broke out in the Schilderswijk district of The Hague. In Amsterdam last Sunday, several people were arrested at a large pro-Palestine march.

Israel is threatening a ground offensive in the Palestinian Gaza Strip. That territory is controlled by the terror organization Hamas, which launched a major attack on Israel earlier this month, killing more than 1,400 people.