Palestinian ambassador in Sofia Ahmed al-Madbuh wept at a January 10 2009 news conference as he read out figures on deaths in the Gaza Strip and said that statements by his Israeli counterpart the previous day were mostly distortions.

Al-Madbuh's news conference came at the end of a week that has seen a succession of protests in various Bulgarian cities and towns against the Israeli military operation in Gaza. Media reports said that organisers of the protests planned a humanitarian mission to Gaza.

Quoting figures from the International Red Cross and other organisations, Al-Madbuh said that almost half of the victims in Gaza were civilians and more than 20 per cent were women.

According to a report by Bulgarian news agency Focus, he said that Palestinians were united in their opposition to the Israeli occupation in Gaza.

"Our goal now is to stop violence in the Gaza Strip, and internal differences will be resolved later through dialogue," Al-Madbuh said.

He said that the United Nations Security Council should be reformed so that decisions could be taken by majority vote and by removing the right of veto. The United States inevitably used its veto in support of Israel.

Al-Madbuh said that 90 per cent of the statements made at a January 9 2009 news conference by Israeli ambassador to Bulgaria Noah Gal-Gendler were distortions of reality. Israel was failing to fulfil its obligations regarding continuation of the peace process, Al-Madbuh said.

Among the most recent street protests against the Israeli actions in Gaza were in Kurdjali and Sofia.

According to a report by Bulgarian National Television, the protest in Kurdjali started from a local mosque. A declaration against Israel's military operation in Gaza was signed by representatives of the Christian community but none was present at the protest, BNT said.

Muslims from Kurdjali said that their action was not directed against the people of Israel.

A protest in Plovdiv saw participants carrying a stretcher with a blood-stained doll, banners depicting the Star of David with an equals sign next to a Nazi swastika, and calling Israelis terrorists.
Muslims in the city have raised money and clothing to donate to people in Gaza, BNT said.

At a January 7 protest in Sofia, the Palestinian Association in Bulgaria called on the Bulgarian Government to join in pressure for Israel to quit Gaza.