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GV & SV Palestinians gathered at Hyde Park Corner, London, with banners and placards (3 shots)
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SCU Said Hammami, London leader of PLO speaking to crowd
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SV Palestinians applauding
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GV & SV March along Oxford St. towards United States Embassy, with marchers chanting and carrying banners(3 shots)
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GV & SV Marchers filing past U.S. embassy (2 shots)
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GV & SV Marchers outside Kensington Palace Gardens, near Israeli embassy (2 shots)
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HAMMAMI: "Those who speak about peaceful solutions, about possible solutions to the Middle East conflict -- we must say to all of them there will be only one solution and that solution must guarantee a complete return of all Palestinians to their homes and property. They must all know, all the people who are supporting peaceful solutions must know, that anything short of complete return of all Palestinians will never be accepted by the PLO."



After the speeches, the demonstrators marched along Oxford Street to the United States embassy. A leaflet they passed out along the way said the demonstration had been called to mark the 29th anniversary of the "forced expulsion and exile of the Palestinian people". When Israel was established, more than 400,000 Arabs evacuated their homes to become refugees in neighbouring Arab countries.




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Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Saturday (15 May) was the 29th anniversary of the formation of Israel, and, in London, thousands of Arab students demonstrated in support of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, the PLO. They were also protesting at what they regard as the "seizure of Palestine from its Arab inhabitants".

SYNOPSIS: The students gathered in Hyde Park before beginning a protest march. There, they were addressed by several speakers, including the leader of the PLO in London, Said Hammami.

The United States has been extensively involved in trying to find a peaceful solution to the Middle East problem, but the London students reject the current moves. They severely criticise what they term the "conservative reactionary Arab states", such as Saudi Arabia, Syria and Jordan. The students say the present solution ideas concede nothing to aspirations of the Palestinian people. After their protest at the United States embassy, the students marched to Kensington Palace gardens, and the Israeli embassy.