Groups to stage pro-Palestine rallies in Jakarta

Three groups of people will stage rallies in Central Jakarta on Thursday against the raid by Israeli commandos on a pro-Palestinian flotilla earlier this week, the police say.

Jakarta Police's Traffic Management Center reported that the groups were the Student Alliance for Palestine, the Muslim Unity Youth and a local branch of the Islamic Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).

The rallies will be held at the United Nations office on Jl. MH Thamrin, Hotel Indonesia traffic circle and Patung Kuda traffic circle.

The UN chief Ban Ki-moon has demanded that Israel lift its blockade of the Gaza Strip immediately and indicated he may eventually launch his own investigation into the deadly commando raid.