2,000 Turks protest against Israeli, US policies

About 2,000 Turks in Istanbul chanted "Down with Israel" and "US get out of Mideast" to protest Israeli attacks in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip on Sunday as well as the US-led invasion of Iraq. Protesters who gathered in Istanbul's Kadikoy district burned effigies with signs on them saying "murderer Israel," and "murderer USA." Turkey, a predominantly Muslim country that also has close ties with Israel, has called on Israel to stop its attacks on Hizbullah guerrillas in Lebanon and Palestinian operatives, warning that the escalating violence could further destabilize the volatile region.