Egyptian Muslims Protest Israel's Treatment of Palestinians
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Protests and violence linked to the Middle East crisis also erupted in Western Europe and the United States Friday. Over 10,000 pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched to the United Nations headquarters in New York. They blame the Israelis for starting the fighting and they accuse the United States of being pro-Israel. In Paris, security has been tightened at Jewish organizations after a synagogue was set on fire early Friday. Police say there have been dozens of anti-semitic incidents in France since fighting in the Middle East broke out two weeks ago. Religion may now be a focus for the anger of protesters on both sides. Sites sacred to specific faiths have been damaged and destroyed over the past 15 days of clashes. In Cairo Friday, devout Muslims went to pray at the mosques, and then some took to the streets to protest. CNN's Walter Rodgers reports.</s>WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Demonstrations like this are forbidden in Cairo, but Egyptian officials calculate these are a necessary safety valve for people to vent their fury at Israel for having killed close to 100 Palestinians in the last two weeks. Outside the Al-Azhar Mosque after Friday prayers, these Muslims vow to sacrifice their blood and souls for fellow Arabs, the Palestinians, perhaps because the Israeli army's firepower has now kindled Arab blood and rhetoric that hints at a holy war. Some 5,000 demonstrators in this crowd shouted, "Jerusalem's al- Aqsa Mosque," the third holiest shrine in Islam, "calls us." They shouted the Prophet Mohammed's army will rise again. The heated public temper throughout the Arab world is but one factor that has complicated efforts to arrange a summit to salvage the peace process. Images of the militarily superior Israeli army using helicopters and rockets against Palestinians have burned themselves into the Arab consciousness.</s>AMR MOUSSA, EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: We cannot accept it under any circumstances. This is indeed a big blow to the peace process, a big blow to the relations in the region, a big blow to the stability in the Middle East.</s>RODGERS: After Friday prayers, Cairo streets quieted down again, but the Egyptian public is not keen on any American summit. "This would be a trap set by Clinton and the Israelis," this man said. Led by Egypt's President Mubarak, the Arab world has its preconditions for a summit: first, an end to violence on all sides; second, an Israeli troop pullback to lines before the fighting again; and third, an international commission acceptable to all parties to investigate the violence. (on camera): The Egyptians, who have been the Palestinians' political patrons, say we are at a very delicate moment now, and they warn any summit would have to go well beyond just arranging a cease- fire to be worthwhile. Walter Rodgers, CNN, Cairo.