Violence in France at anti-Israel rallies...

This is becoming standard fare - violence - at anti-Israel rallies...

Tens of thousands of protesters marched through central Paris and other French cities Saturday to denounce IsraeliÕs offensive in Gaza and express support for the Palestinian cause.

In Paris, thousands of French men and women of Arabic descent carrying Palestinian banners joined left-wing militants from other backgrounds, amid cries of "Allahu Akbar" (God is Greater) and "Israel murderer."

For two hours protesters filed through a commercial area of east central Paris, smashing a bus shelter and a telephone cabin, and after the crowd began to disperse bottles were thrown at riot police and shop windows smashed.

Police fired teargas near the marchers destination, the Place de la Nation, after mobs overturned motor scooters and set them on fire.

In the southern resort city of Nice, a similar march descended into violence. Seven police were hurt and 11 rioters arrested as youths broke off from a crowd of more than 2,500 protesters and smashed shop windows.

Earlier, as the groups gathered, portraits of slain Hamas chief Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and Lebanese Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah joined Latin American revolutionary Che Guevara and VenezuelaÕs President Hugo Chavez.