Thousands gather at pro-Israel rally in Belgian capital 
 
By Ha'aretz Service and agencies 
May 29, 2002
 
Thousands of people participated in a peaceful rally through 
the streets of Brussels on Wednesday, calling for solidarity 
with Israel and an end to anti-Semitic attacks staged a peaceful 
march through Brussels on Wednesday. 

Police estimated that some 4,000 people from many European 
countries took part in the march, which was organized by 
the European Jewish Congress. Organisers put the figure 
at 15,000. 

"We Jews who are living in Europe are proud of being Jews. 
We will never allow anti-Semitism to put us back in the 
ghettos," Michel Friedman, vice president of the European 
Jewish Congress, told the rally. 

"We will never accept that anti-Semitism has a new name - 
anti-Zionism or anti-Israelism," he told the protesters, 
many of whom waved Israeli flags. 

Europe has seen a spate of anti-Semitic attacks - ranging 
from anti-Jewish graffiti on synagogues and cemeteries to 
assaults on Jews and their property - since Israel launched 
a military offensive in the West Bank on March 29, following 
a wave of suicide bombings. 

"Israel has the right to defend itself. If it has to use means 
other than negotiation then it must," said Arie Renous, 
president of Radio Judaica. 

Friedman said: "If the Palestinians want their own country 
they have to deny terrorism forever." The protesters came 
from across Europe - including France, Italy and Germany. 

Gathering in a square near the European Union's headquarters, 
speakers attacked the 15-nation bloc for what they called 
its pro-Palestinian bias. "Europe tolerates Jews being killed 
and asks Israel to refrain from reacting," said Rijk van Dam, 
a member of the European Parliament 

"We ask Europe to stop its one-sided policy towards Israel. 
Both sides have to be represented in Europe's Middle East 
policy," Friedman added.