Over 60,000 Israeli pacifists hold rally for end to Israeli occupations

More than 60,000 Israelis took to the streets on Saturday in Tel Aviv, calling for an end to Israeli violence, brutality and occupation.

According to the rally organizers, it is the largest peace demonstration in Israel since the start of the current Palestinian Intifadah in September 2000.

The Peace Now movement organized the rally, which took place in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv.

Left-wing politicians and artists addressed the crowd, urging Israel to stop building settlements in Palestinian territories and return to Israel's 1967 borders.

Yossi Sarid, the leader of the opposition Meretz party, told the French news agency the rally should make clear to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon that there is no consensus for a planned military operation in the Gaza Strip.

Sarid told the demonstrators "It is a very important message to the Israeli government, the Arab world and the international community. There is a peace camp in Israel and it is raising its voice."

Yossi Belin of the Isareli Labor party also addressed the crowd, stating, "We are told Sharon is a man of peace but it is not true: he doesn't want go to the negotiating table because he has nothing to sayÉSharon is dragging us into a catastrophe."