Tens of thousands protest Israel for Jerusalem

ISTANBUL – Tens of thousands of people gathered in Turkey to denounce Israel following widespread clashes over security measures at a holy site in Jerusalem.

Protesters waved Turkish and Palestinian flags Sunday at the “Great Jerusalem Meeting” in Istanbul called by the Felicity Party. A jingle with the lyric “Hit, hit Zionists” played.

The Islamist party’s leader, Temel Karamollaoglu, told the crowd that Muslims would not give up on Jerusalem.

Tensions in the Old City have been running high since Arab gunmen killed two police officers at the Al Aqsa Mosque, prompting Israel to install metal detectors.

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel Friday of trying to take over the shrine, considered holy to both Jews and Muslims, under the pretext of fighting terror.

Israel removed the metal detectors this week.