Jordan Police Clash With Anti-Israel Protesters; Teargas Used

Police fired teargas at more than 2,000 angry protesters Friday to prevent them from approaching the Israeli embassy in the Jordanian capital Amman in a demonstration against Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip.

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Water cannons were also used to disperse some of the protesters who had set off after Friday prayers from Kaloti mosque for the embassy, about one kilometer away in western Amman.

Five people were arrested as demonstrators clashed with police and threw onions and stones at them. A young Spanish man, who appeared to be bleeding, said he took part in the demonstration and police beat him on the head with a baton.

Wearing traditional Palestinian keffiyeh and carrying Palestinian and Jordanian flags, the protesters chanted "No Israeli embassy on Arab territory," and "Arab rulers are cowards."

Israel established an embassy in Amman soon after Jordan signed a peace treaty with the Jewish state in 1994. It was the second Arab state to sign such a treaty after Egypt.

Protesters also carried banners that read 'Gaza 2009: Your Majesties and Excellencies Arab Leaders, Happy New Massacre,' and burned Israeli flags as a group of children carried a banner saying 'Stop killing our little friends.'

Residents in surrounding buildings stood on their balconies waving national and Palestinian flags.

Nearly 800 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its offensive Dec. 27. Nasdaq