By JPOST.COM STAFFsilvan shalom kevin rudd 248 88 ap(photo credit: AP)
Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrated against Israel in Canberra on Thursday morning, as a Knesset delegation headed by Vice Premier Silvan Shalom arrived in the Australian capital.
According to Army Radio, the protesters chanted slogans such as "Israel is a war criminal" and "Silvan Shalom should not be allowed into Australia."
MKs Avi Dichter, Ronit Tirosh, Ronnie Bar-On, Daniel Ben-Simon and Nachman Shai are also part of the delegation.
In a parley attended by more than 600 invitees, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd met with the MKs and stressed the importance of strengthening the ties with Israel.
Outside the hotel where the meeting was held, more than 100 protesters waited for the Israeli delegation, some of them wearing Kafiya scarves and traditional Muslim garb.
They held banners reading "Lift the siege on Gaza" and "Stop the Occupation" and chanted anti-Israel slogans.
