BICOM

Thousands of Israelis rallied in Tel Aviv on Saturday night in solidarity with Paris after Friday night’s terror attacks that left 129 dead.

Standing in front of Tel Aviv City Hall, which was lit in the colours of the French flag, the crowd sang La Marseillaise and waved flags and banners.

The Jerusalem Post reports the speeches. French Ambassador to Israel, Patrick Maisonnave, welcomed and thanked the crowd, calling it “a vivid testimony to the fact that France is not alone in this struggle”

He added, “Democracies do not seek vengeance, they seek justice. The fight against radical Islam is our common struggle. Let us unite around the values of liberté, egalité and fraternité”

Interior Minister Silvan Shalom, addressing the rally, said that the attack “reminds us of what is happening here on a daily basis, unfortunately. We remember attacks on Toulouse, Hyper Cacher, Ilan Halimi. They told us it’s just attacks against Jews. We said no, terrorism is terrorism is terrorism. Yesterday its France, tomorrow it can happen in other countries in Europe”.

Opposition Leader Isaac Herzog said, “We are here from the entire nation, if I may, standing united in expressing brotherhood with the French people … We express deep solidarity with the pain of the French people”

Former President Shimon Peres told the crowd Israel stands “shoulder to shoulder in war against barbaric terrorism that harms innocent people around the world. Your war is our war. Your values are our values. They are the values of the enlightened world”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a televised press address condemning the attack and expressing solidarity. A statement from Mr Netanyahu’s office confirmed that Israel was aiding the French investigation into the attacks and has passed on information about the terrorists.

Meanwhile the official Palestinian Authority newspaper, al-Hayat al-Jadida, published and op-ed that claimed Mossad with its “octopus arms” was responsible for the Paris bombs.