Hundreds gather in central Istanbul for protest against US and Israel

Nearly a thousand people gather in central Istanbul despite heavy rains to protest the American-Israeli war against Iran, as well as Israel’s conduct in Gaza.

Organized by several religious conservative nonprofits, the rally features slogans like “Resist, Gaza will prevail” and “Muslims don’t bow to oppression,” as well as signs saying, “Killer Israel, Killer United States” and criticizing the Israeli closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem — even though other major Jewish and Christian holy sites have been closed as well due to the danger of falling Iranian missiles.

“We are here for all the oppressed in the world. Lebanon, Iran, Palestine, yesterday it was Venezuela, tomorrow it will probably be Cuba, we are here for all of them,” protester Mehmet Yilmaz tells The Associated Press.

“When Iran launches a missile, despite claiming no one can hurt them with their Iron Dome, they [Israelis] all scurry into their holes like mice the second the sirens blare,” Ekrem Saylan tells AP. “What do the Iranians do? They take to the streets. This is about belief, faith. If they [Israelis] had faith they wouldn’t be afraid of death.”