Jewish synagogue in Surabaya sealed

With anti-Israel and anti-US large-scale rallies continuing, a group of Muslim protesters has closed down a synagogue belonging to a Jewish community in Surabaya Wednesday and called for a boycott of US-linked products in the province.

The sealing of the synagogue followed demonstrations organized by local mass organizations who have condemned Israeli assaults on the Gaza Strip which have already killed more than 500 Palestinian residents in the past two weeks.

Carrying anti-Israel and anti-US banners through the main thoroughfares in front of the governor's office and crowded shopping centers, the protesters moved to the nearby synagogue.

They held a free speech forum there which ended with the burning of Israeli and US flags and the sealing of the synagogue.

Abdusshomad Buchori who coordinated the rally said the group would organize a mass effort to drive American citizens of Jewish descent out of the city and ban US-linked businesses such as Kentucky Fried Chicken and McDonald's outlets until the attacks halted.

"If Israel refuses to stop its attacks on the Palestinian people immediately, we will conduct a sweep for sympathizers, supporters and Israeli agents in the province," he said.

After the property incursion the rally returned to peaceful action as more than 300 antiriot police deployed to maintain security and public order in the downtown area.

Following the action, demonstrators moved to KFC and McDonald outlets at the nearby Plaza Surabaya where they called for a boycott of US products.

The demonstrators also asked the government to intensify efforts to engage diplomatically through the UN and the international community to stop the bloodshed and seek humanitarian relief for the Palestinian people.

On Thursday, some 500 protesters calling themselves the Forum for Folk Unity (Forpui) staged a rally outside the US Consulate to express their solidarity for the Palestinian people and to
condemn the Israeli attacks.