Thousands of protesters rally against Israel in central Sydney. (Reuters)

WORLD CAPITALS — Several thousand people demonstrated Friday, July 21, in Europe and the Arab world against Israel's bloody assault on Lebanon, with many carrying pictures of Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and shouting slogans against Tel Aviv.

Up to 500 Muslims and non-Muslims made their way the headquarters of the Foreign Ministry in the Austrian capital Vienna, denouncing the "Arab and Western cover" of the unabated Israeli attacks on Lebanon and Palestine.

Demonstrators have urged politicians and Europeans to rally behind the Lebanese and the Palestinians in their trial.

They further called on the European Union to pressure Israel into releasing up to 10,000 Palestinians and Lebanese prisoners in Israeli jails, including juveniles and women.

Muslim leaders, who took part in Friday's rally, handed the Foreign Ministry a petition, which urged Vienna to do something to stop the barbaric Israeli aggressions.

"We are pressing for a UN Security Council resolution obliging Israel to end its aggressions," Modar Khoja, from the Islamic Religious Authority which is the main representative Muslim body in Austria, told IslamOnline.net.

"We also want the Austrian government to recognize democratically elected governments like the one led by Hamas in Palestine," he added.

Demonstrators said that Israel must compensate the Lebanese and the Palestinians for the apocalyptic scenes created by its military juggernaut.

"Ten days of Israeli bombardment have wreaked havoc on Lebanon in a way unprecedented over the past 20 years," Khoja added.

"The Israeli occupiers want to see Lebanon and Palestine starting from scratch. Releasing soldiers taken prisoner by Palestinian and Lebanese resistance movement is only a pretext used by Israel to justify its attacks."

Israel has been bombarding Lebanon for the 10th day on Friday in an assault that killed up to 300 Lebanese and left most of the country's infrastructure in debris.

It has also waged an offensive in the Gaza Strip military campaign in Gaza since June 28, killing up to 100 Palestinians, including women and children.

"Terrorists"

An Egyptian demonstrator burns an Israeli flag. (Reuters)

In Berlin, demonstrators came in drove to Adenauerplatz square with many draped in Lebanese flags.

"Israel drinks the blood of our children," said one of the posters carried by a demonstrator, Reuters reported.

"Stop Israel's war!" said another, referring to the 10-day onslaught, which destroyed much of Lebanon's infrastructure.

Palestinian, Iranian and Syrian flags were also visible. The crowd was mostly a mix of Middle Eastern immigrants and foreigners in Germany.

In addition to the anti-Israel slogans, there were many posters attacking the United States and US President George W. Bush for supporting Israel.

"Olmert and Bush and terrorists," shouted a demonstrator to the crowd, referring to Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

One woman carried a small child clutching an Israeli flag with a red circle around the star of David and a red line through it.

Berlin has a large Muslim minority. There are more than 3 million Muslims in Germany altogether, most of them of Turkish origin.

"Right and Justice"

Protesters shout anti-Israel and US slogans during a rally in Amman. (Reuters)

In Cairo, leaders of a range of opposition groups led a mass rally inside the courtyard of Al-Azhar mosque, denouncing Israel, the United States and the Arab states who have criticized Hizbullah.

"Today we are supporting the Palestinian, Lebanese and Iraqi resistance and every resistance against Zionist, American and European arrogance," Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohammad Mahdi Akef told the demonstrators.

"Right and justice are with us and we will continue to resist until we expel these people from our land and drive American hegemony from our country," he added.

"Al-Azhar's message to the world is Death to the Zionist entity" read one of the large banners strung across an archway in the marble courtyard of the 10th century mosque.

"Nasrallah, our friend, hit and destroy Tel Aviv," the protesters chanted.

Fights broke out at the gate of the mosque when plainclothes security men stopped demonstrators taking to the streets.

Some of the demonstrators tried to break through a cordon onto the street, but plainclothes men blocked their way. Demonstrators tried to whip them with their belts and the security men attacked them with their fists, driving them back into the courtyard.

As demonstrators left the mosque later, police officers confiscated all their flags and banners.

Outside the building in the heart of the old Islamic quarter of Cairo, the government deployed thousands of riot police in solid lines, armed with shields and sticks.

"O beloved Nasrallah"

In the Jordanian capital Amman, thousands chanted in support Nasrallah and called for attacks on Israel's major cities.

"O beloved Nasrallah hit, hit Haifa and Tel Aviv," they chanted waving Hizbullah's yellow flags at the march organized by the Muslim Brotherhood, the main opposition party in Jordan.

"O Nasrallah in Lebanon we are with you in Amman", "May God give victory to Hizbullah", they said.

The protesters carried banners condemning Israel's "barbaric acts".

"O Arab and Muslim leaders we want a step forward ... No to Arab silence over the crimes of the Zionists," the crowds yelled.