French protesters urge end to Israeli airstrikes

PARIS (AP) — Leftist and pro-Palestinian activists have rallied in Paris to urge Israel to end its airstrikes in Gaza, after talks toward a lasting truce collapsed.

About 300 protesters gathered Wednesday near Napoleon’s tomb in central Paris, waving Palestinian flags, photos of people killed in airstrikes. Some banners read “No to the massacre in Gaza.”

Police watched carefully and the protest wound down peacefully, unlike several demonstrations last month in France that unleashed the worst tensions between France’s Muslim and Jewish communities in years. France has more Muslim and Jewish citizens than any other country in western Europe.

France’s government has urged a truce. It called on the Israeli military to use restraint and expressed concern about Palestinian civilian casualties, but says Israel has a right to its security.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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