Around 5,000 people took part in a march in central Tel Aviv on Saturday evening supporting the establishment of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders.

The march ended with a rally at the Tel Aviv Museum. MKs Dov Khenin (Hadash) and Zahava Galon (Meretz) and playwright Yehoshua Sobol gave speeches.

Open gallery view Thousands marched in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening, June 4, 2011, in support of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders. Credit: Nir Keidar

"Members of the U.S. Congress won't be the ones who will pay the price of the next war," Sobol said. "When Netanyahu said no to the 1967 borders, he said no to peace."

Numerous leftist political parties and groups - including Labor, Meretz, Hadash, the Derech faction of Kadima, the National Left, Peace Now and Gush Shalom - participated in the march.

Marchers held signs reading "Palestinian state - An Israeli interest", "Bibi, recognize the Palestinians" and "Yes, we KEN [which means 'yes' in Hebrew]", among others.

Open gallery view Thousands marched in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening, June 4, 2011, in support of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders. Credit: Nir Keidar

"The next war is not inevitable, but it has a direct connection to Netanyahu's speech," Khenin said. "In the speech, [Netanyahu] closed the chapter of our history called the peace process."

Several dozen rightist activists, wrapped in Israeli flags, held a counter-rally at the starting point of the march in Rabin Square.

During the march, a leftist activist was arrested for throwing food at a police officer.

The leftist march was organized under the title "Netanyahu said no - We say yes to a Palestinian state" following the prime minister's recent visit to the U.S. during which differences of opinion were exposed between Netanyahu and U.S. President Barack Obama on the issue of the borders of a future Palestinian state.

On Saturday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas cautiously welcomed a French proposal to convene Israeli and Palestinian negotiators in Paris to try to renew collapsed peace talks.