Hundreds of anti-Israeli demonstrators bring London traffic to a standstill after scaling a double decker bus as they protest outside embassy over Gaza strikes

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators staged protest outside Israeli Embassy

Crowds blocked the road in Kensington High Street, west London today

At least 17 protesters climbed on top of double-decker bus during demo

Some waved placards saying: 'Gaza: End the Siege' and 'Freedom for Palestine'



Hundreds of anti-Israeli demonstrators brought traffic to a standstill in London today after turning out in their droves to call for an end to military strikes on Gaza.

Protesters crowded the streets outside the Israeli Embassy in Kensington High Street, west London, and some took it even further by standing on one of the city’s iconic double-decker buses.

Waving placards which read ‘Gaza: End the Siege’ and ‘Freedom for Palestine’, demonstrators chanted and blocked the road as they protested against ‘Israeli aggression’ in the Middle East.

At least 17 people climbed on top of the London bus during a protest in London earlier this month

Protesters crowded the streets outside the Israeli Embassy in Kensington High Street, west London Crowds lined the main road in Kensington High Street, preventing any vehicles from using the road Waving placards which read 'Gaza: End the Siege' and 'Freedom for Palestine', demonstrators chanted and blocked the road as they protested against 'Israeli aggression' in the Middle East

At least 17 people climbed on top of a London bus during the protest, with one holding a banner which read: ‘Judaism rejects the Zionist state and condemns its criminal siege and occupation’.

Others lined the main road in Kensington High Street, preventing any vehicles from using the road for a short period.

However, despite the traffic jams and large crowds, police said the protest was largely peaceful as a whole.

The demonstration came after the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, which staged protests around the world today, called on people to ‘oppose Israeli aggression’.

In a statement earlier this week, the group said: ‘This isn’t about rockets from Gaza. It’s about Israel fighting to maintain its control over Palestinian lives, and Palestinian land.

Despite the traffic jams and large crowds, police said the protest was largely peaceful as a whole

The demonstration came after the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, which staged protests across the country today, called on people to 'oppose Israeli aggression'

Protesters crowded the streets outside the Israeli Embassy in Kensington High Street, west London Police lined the street outside the Israeli Embassy as the protest got underway in Kensington High Street

‘It’s about Israel feeling able to commit war crimes with complete impunity.’

Elsewhere today, some 3,000 protesters gathered in front of the Norwegian parliament in Oslo to call for an end to the violence, and 100 people demonstrated near the French Foreign Ministry in Paris. Others also gathered in Tunisia to voice their concern.



Demonstrators waved Palestinian flags and one woman, who had the painted on her cheeks, shouted ‘Palestine will survive’.

Stephane Frappreau, who identified himself as Jewish, said the demonstrations were about ‘defending humanity and about stopping the massacre’.

‘I think that people tend to forget that Palestinians are people who are suffering, kids and women, who are dying every day,’ he said.

To date, at least 106 Palestinians - including dozens of civilians - have been killed, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza

Demonstrators waved placards which read 'Gaza: End the Siege' and 'Freedom for Palestine' in London

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that he would press forward with his country's military offensive In the Gaza Strip. Pictured: The demonstration in west London this afternoon

‘And I think that people shouldn't confuse things or come to quick conclusions, because being against Israel as we are today is not about being anti-Semitic.’

A spokeswoman for Prime Minister David Cameron earlier said he supported Israel in the face of attacks by Hamas against Israeli civilians.

President Francois Hollande issued a statement earlier this week in support of Israel that prompted criticism because it failed to mention Palestinian victims.

A ball of fire is seen following an early morning Israeli air strike on Rafah in the southern Gaza strip

A picture taken from the southern Israeli Gaza border shows smoke billowing from buildings following an Israeli air strike in Gaza City

A M-75 rocket is launched from the coastal Gaza strip towards Israel by militants of the Ezz Al-Din Al Qassam militia, the military wing of Hamas movement Members of the Palestinian Abu Lealla family inspect the remains of their destroyed house following an Israeli airstrike in the north of Gaza City

He later spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyau and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, before issuing new statements expressing support for each and concern for all victims.

He condemned violence and urged a return to peace talks.

Tensions had been rising between the two countries and Israel launched the offensive on Tuesday in response to weeks of heavy rocket fire out of Gaza.

Elsewhere today, about 100 people demonstrated near the French Foreign Ministry in Paris (above) Some 200 Palestinian activists from the organisation Combatants For Peace gathered in Paris today A similar protest in Tunisia also saw demonstrators wave Palestinian flags this afternoon (above)



To date, at least 106 Palestinians - including dozens of civilians - have been killed, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza. Palestinian militants have fired more than 600 rockets at Israel.

One rocket fired from the Gaza Strip struck a gas station and set it ablaze in southern Israel, seriously wounding one man.