JEDDAH: A massive protest rally held in the Mauritanian capital of Nouakchott yesterday demanded breaking of diplomatic relations with Israel, according to reports reaching here. It was the biggest rally in Mauritania ever since Israel launched its bloody campaign against the people of Gaza last week.
The rally started from Nouakchott University at 10 a.m. and marched up to the Palestinian Embassy. The next halt of the rally was the Israeli Embassy but police did not allow it and used tear gas to disperse the protesters which consisted of university as well as school students.
Muhammad Yahya Ould Baya, the secretary general of the Students Initiative to Combat Israeli-Mauritian Relations, told Arab News over the phone that their protest rally was part of their ongoing campaign to “cut all relations with Israel.”
He added that the protesters were both men and women who were representing various Mauritanian parties. “This is a protest against the killing and starvation that is taking place in Gaza,” he added.
The Students Initiative, Baya said, has been active since the announcement of the Israeli-Mauritanian relations in 1998.
The Israeli attacks on Gaza has united the Mauritanian parties, which have condemned the attacks and organized massive protests during the last one week. And all the protests have demanded severing of ties with Israel, according to Mauritanian news agencies.
Mauritanians have organized similar protest rallies in Senegal, Morocco and France.
