More than 2,000 Saudi Shi’ite demonstrated in support of Lebanon's Hezbollah in the eastern province of the kingdom, local residents said yesterday. Waving flags of the Syrian- and Iran-backed Shi’ite movement and posters of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, protestors gathered outside a mosque in the Shi’ite city of Qatif late Tuesday, several residents said. Protestors chanted "Hezbollah will be victorious," and "death to America and Israel," resident Ali Ammar said. | “Protestors chanted 'Hezbollah will be victorious,' and 'death to America and Israel...'” |
They also shouted "no Sunnis, no ShiÂ’ites... (only) Islamic unity," in an apparent attempt to quiet sectarian differences which have arisen since Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers on July 12 triggering Israel's onslaught against Lebanon.
In the neighbouring town of Amira, hundreds of demonstrators also took to the streets in support of Hezbollah, but carried posters of the the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia along with Nasrallah posters, residents said, requesting anonymity.
The two rallies ended peacefully without any intervention of the security forces, although demonstrations are not common in the ultra-conservative kingdom. The ShiÂ’ite minority represents some 10 per cent of the native Saudi population of 16.6 million, which is mainly Sunni Muslim. Some 60 per cent of them inhabit the oil-rich eastern province. |