Outraged Malaysians have gathered in two separate places to protest against the deadly attack on a Gaza-bound humanitarian aid flotilla which left up to 19 dead yesterday.

NONE Under the watchful eyes of a unit of Light Strike Force personnel as well as 30 uniformed police and a police helicopter hovering above, about 200 protesters from mostly Malay- and Muslim-based NGOs burned and stepped on photos of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outside the US embassy in Jalan Tun Razak.

Besides locals such as members of Malay Consultative Council (MPM), Malay-based NGO Perkasa and student group GPMS, there were also about 100 Palestinians taking part in the demonstration.

They shouted 'Death to Israel' and brandished posters saying 'Stop the massacre' and 'Zionists are murderers'. The protesters also called for a boycott of Israeli products and condemned close ties between Israel and the United States.

'Suicide' attempt?

NONE At one point, a Palestinian, who wore a Perkasa headband, alarmed those around him by taking his anger against Israel to another level, attempting to injure himself with a craftknife ( right ).

Identified as Moin Mohd Abid, the protestor had broken off the blade of the craftknife and tried to swallow it, but was stopped by fellow protestors.

He then took off his shirt and tried to cut his stomach, but was again stopped, this time by police personnel.

They carried Moin, who sustained several long wounds, into a police truck and sent him to hospital.

NONE About five individuals from Perkasa, including its chief Ibrahim Ali, later handed a memorandum to two representatives of the embassy.

Also in front of the US embassy, about 300 people making up a second group of demonstrators - led by Lifeline4Gaza - called for the US to intervene in solving the crisis.

The two groups gathered at separate spots in front of the US embassy.

Muslimrelief Malaysian deputy chief Zulkifli Mohd Nani, who is also a member of Lifeline4Gaza, said his group calls for all Malaysians to gather this Friday for another protest in front of the US embassy.

Three back-to-back protests

I NONE n addition to the above demonstrations, PAS and other opposition parties and groups held a third protest shortly afterwards at the US embassy.

Among those present at this third protest, among others, were PKR vice-president R Sivarasah, PKR strategic director Tian Chua, PAS deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa, PAS Kuala Selangor MP Dzulkifli Ahmad, PAS information chief Mahfuz Omar, PKR Wanita chief Zuraidah Kamaruddin, PKR's Pantai Jerejak state representative Sim Tze Tzin and Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar.

The Pakatan Rakyat leaders demanded that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak convene a special sitting of Parliament within 48 hours to debate the Israeli attacks on humanitarian aid ships yesterday.

NONE They also demanded that the premier comes up with a concrete plan to save the 12 Malaysians detained by the Israeli navy on board the ships.

"We are here to register our utter disgust at the barbaric attack on the flotilla," said Zulkifli Ahmad, the Kuala Selangor MP from PAS.

"It is an attack on humanity. In the last 24 hours, Israel has shown total disregard to the rule of law," he told the angry crowd.

The opposition coalition further said the premier should immediately cancel the government's contract with the Israeli-linked Apco Worldwide public relations firm, and sever direct and indirect trade relations with Israel.

Friday mass rally

Across Kuala Lumpur, at the UN headquarters in Damansara, about 50 members of BN's Youth wing - led by Khairy Jamaluddin - this morning carried banners which read, among others, ‘Punish Israel’ to express their outrage.

NONE They also burned and stomped on an Israeli flag before handing over a memorandum of condemnation to UN coordinator for Malaysia Kamal Malholtra.

The two-page memorandum, handed over by a 10-person group headed by Khairy, called for the UN to slap trade sanctions on Israel for consistently violating international laws.

 

"We are urging the Security Council members, the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, China and France to not use their veto power to stop any actions taken against Israel," Khairy told reporters after handing the memorandum to Malholtra.

 

K NONE hairy had earlier led the crowd in chanting "Free Palestine!" and urged the US not to side with Israel.

 

He said further that Malholtra had assured the group that their memorandum would be forwarded to the UN headquarters in New York today as the Security Council is already deliberating on on the matter.

"The world has seen the cruelty of Israel, who attacked without reason in international waters," said the youth chief.

NONE "We understand that the UN Secretary General (Ban Kin Moon) is not taking this lightly and that it is likely that the Security Council will produce a resolution on the matter, with temporary (Security Council) member Turkey raising the resolution," he said after a 15-minute meeting with the UN representative.

 

Speaking after Khairy, Umno deputy chief Razali Ibrahim echoed his sentiments, saying that the "UN must act, for the first time".

 

NONE Failure to act decisively would lead to the total loss of respect for the UN by the international community, he added.

 

Khairy later called for NGOs and all political parties to join a mass rally front of the US embassy on Friday.

 

“We want to show that Malaysians are united against Israel. This is not a religious but a universal issue,” said Khairy.

 

“The next step is to put pressure on the global powers to not side with Israel," he added. 

 

Also present was MIC Youth chief T Mohan and representatives from PPP and MCA.

[PHOTOS INSIDE]

VIDEO | 5 mins: Perkasa protest

VIDEO | 5 mins: Pakatan Rakyat protest

VIDE0 | 9 mins: BN Youth at the UN office