More than 200 people from different walks of life marched down Republic Street in Valletta yesterday evening in support of the Palestinians who are currently in a bloody conflict with Israel.

"What used to be a prison has now turned into a cemetery," one of the marchers, a Palestinian poet living in Malta, said.

Many of the protestors wore the traditional black and white Palestinian scarves, waved Palestinian flags and chanted "Save the children of Gaza" and "Stop your silly war, stop the aggression".

Besides Palestinians and Maltese representatives of various NGOs and political parties, a large number of third country nationals attended, including people from Libya, Syria and also European countries.

Some young children marched in front of the group as adults held up pictures of women, children and elderly Palestinian war victims covered in blood.

At one point some marchers started to chant "Down with the USA" and "Down with Israel" but the policemen on the scene told the organisers such slogans were unacceptable.

"If they continue we will have to stop the whole thing," a policewoman was heard telling one of the organisers, who then relayed the message back to the protestors.

Representatives of Moviment Graffitti, the Peace Lab, Żminijietna, the General Workers' Union, Third World Group, Kopin and Koperattiva Kummerċ Ġust read out a joint statement saying that, although they condemned all forms of violence, it was not just to put the actions committed by Hamas and the bombardments by Israel on the same level.

"From the day the state of Israel was created, Palestinians have been living as prisoners in their own land and enduring a systematic policy of terror from Israel," they said, comparing this to Apartheid.

They called on the European and Maltese governments to condemn the violent attacks and concretely put pressure on Israel to start a process of peace and justice.

They said Malta has historically recognised the rights of the Palestinians. A Maltese woman who attended the march appealed for the Maltese to send letters to the President to ask for a ceasefire.

"Israel has all the weapons of America and the Palestinians have nothing. Israelis are bombing mosques and universities. Where are they supposed to go," she said.

Another march in Republic Street will be held on January 5 by the Maltese Muslim Community.

cperegin@timesofmalta.com