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Pro- and anti-Israel demonstrations face off in Berlin
Pro-Palestinian rally to mark Al-Quds Day, which drew some 1,000 people, is met by march in support of Jewish state, attended by Germany's anti-Semitism commissioner, Israeli ambassador, and Berlin's top security official; police in German capital keep both events separate
Hundreds of people, including prominent German politicians and members of the Jewish community, were protesting Saturday against a larger, anti-Israel rally in
The annual al-Quds -- Arabic for
The German news agency dpa reported that the government's anti-Semitism commissioner, Felix Klein; the Israeli ambassador in
Geisel urged the German government to consider banning the political wing of the Lebanese-based militant group Hezbollah. Some at the counter-protest waved Israeli flags and banners with slogans such as "It's time to turn Hamas into hummus."
Earlier this week, the German government has called on people to wear the kippa Jewish headcovering ahead of the anti-Israel protest, as a demonstration of solidarity as Jews face a spike in anti-Semitism, withdrawing an earlier warning against wearing the traditional skullcap.
Last the weekend, Klein sparked uproar when he said in an interview with the Funke regional press group that he could not "advise Jews to wear the kippa everywhere all the time in
President Reuven Rivlin voiced shock at Klein's warning and said it was a "capitulation to anti-Semitism" and evidence that Jews are unsafe in
In his later statement to Funke, Klein said: "I call on all citizens of
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