ISTANBUL: Israel’s tank and troop assault on the Gaza Strip prompted widespread protest rallies across the Muslim world yesterday. The biggest rally of the day was held in Turkey where hundreds of thousands of people spilled into streets of Istabul to protest against Israeli action as the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) began diplomatic effort to end the sufferings of Gazans.

Organizers of Istanbul rally said there were as many as 700,000 people in the 180,000-square-meter venue.

Demonstrators in Morocco — numbering 40,000, according to police — accused Arab leaders of failing the Palestinian people.

Another protest was held in Beirut. Anti-riot police fired teargas and water cannon at protesters near the US embassy compound in Awkar, north of Beirut, an AFP photographer said. Thousands also demonstrated outside the UN headquarters in Beirut.

Demonstrations were also held in Jordan, Libya, Algeria, Pakistan, India and France.

Further protests were expected, as anger grew over the Israeli military push — and diplomatic reaction, including UN failure to agree on a common resolution, and the European Union’s Czech-led delegation initially categorizing Israel’s action as “defensive” prior to an apology yesterday.

The 57-member OIC has started conducting high-level and extensive contacts with a number of international parties to end the Israeli aggression against the Palestinians in Gaza, its Secretary-General Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said yesterday. He condemned Israel’s ground offensive and urged the international community to take quick action to stop the aggression of the Jewish state.

Also yesterday, the administrative committee of Al-Aqsa/Al-Quds Fund allocated $25 million to provide emergency relief supplies including food and medicine for people in Gaza.

Police in Turkey refused to give numbers, but the Caglayan square was packed with a sea of protesters. “The bastards of the devil, go away from Palestine and the Middle East,” said one banner in English.

Ibrahim Ozturk, a 25-year-old sailor, said Ankara should re-evaluate its ties with Israel if the Jewish state does not stop its offensive in Gaza.

“It is not that Turkey should become an enemy of Israel, but it should warn Israel when it is doing wrong. If Israel does not change its attitude, then it should become an enemy,” he said.

Turkey yesterday condemned Israel ‘s ground offensive and said it would only lead to “more blood and tears.”

“Seeking a solution through a military path will achieve no result other than opening the way to more blood and tears,” a Turkish Foreign Ministry statement said.

It was the third successive day of protests across Turkey. Yesterday’s demonstration in Istanbul was organized by the Felicity Party, a minor Islamist party not represented in Parliament, and was supported by several non-governmental organizations and trade unions.

In Morocco, the 40,000-strong crowd in the capital Rabat chanted expressions of anger over “the silence of Arab regimes.” Demonstrators trampled on a giant Israeli flag, while others brandished shoes in an allusion to the Iraqi journalist who threw his brogues at outgoing US President George W. Bush before the holidays.

Islamist Party of Justice and Development lawmaker Mustapha Ramid said “the blood of Gazan martyrs has mobilized the masses in Morocco and throughout the rest of the Arab world.”

Thousands also marched through central Sydney and the southern city of Melbourne in Australia.