BANGKOK — Protesters rallied in front of the Israel Embassy in Bangkok today to voice their anger over Israeli air strikes in Gaza, despite the Thai military junta’s ban on public gatherings.

The activists, many of whom were Muslim, held up signs denouncing Israel's operations in the Gaza Strip and burned Israel’s national flag.  

"Jews is terrorists [sic]" one placard read. "I hate Jews. They are murderers," proclaimed another.

Some protesters also distributed stickers reading, "There is no God but Allah, Muhammad is the messenger of God."

Yet another sign read, “You don’t need to be Muslim to stand up for Gaza. You just need to human.”

One of the demonstrators, who did not give his name, said the protest was meant to show solidarity with Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip. 

"I want everyone to understand the plight of Palestinians," the activist said. "Because what has happened is unbearably violent. It has no shed of humanitarian concern. Palestinians are the victims of international politics."

Almost 200 Palestinians have been killed since Israeli forces launched a fresh military assault last week against what they say are Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip. The UN has estimated that three-quarters of the fatalities were civilians. The Israeli government says its goal is to “inflict a significant blow on Hamas,” who has launched hundreds of rockets into Israeli territory in the past week.

The Israeli Embassy in Bangkok closed down today after it learned about the planned protests, embassy officials said.

More than 100 police officers and plain-clothed agents watched the protest from afar without interfering with the protesters.

Since seizing power in a coup d’etat on 22 May, Thailand’s military government has not consistently enforced its ban on public demonstrations.

While all recent anti-junta rallies have been swiftly put out by security officers, often followed arrests, a number of other protests have been permitted without interference. The latter includes a one-man anti-American protest in front of the US Embassy several weeks ago, a rally in support of the death penalty as punishment for convicted rapists, and sporadic pro-coup rallies over the past few months.

Despite its close relations with the US, a major Israeli ally, Thailand recognised Palestine as an independent country in 2012. The Kingdom has also established diplomatic relations with Palestine and voted in favour of its membership status in the UNESCO.

Thailand's ruling military junta has not publicly commented on the ongoing conflicts in Gaza. 

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BANGKOK — Police have issued arrest warrants for seven suspects behind the deadly grenade attack on anti-government protesters in February.

Two children and one 59-year-old woman were killed when unknown assailants launched a grenade at the rally site of the People's Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD) at Ratchaprasong Intersection on 23 February. Twenty-one people were also injured by the blast, which police believe was caused by an M79 grenade.

At the time, the PCAD was halfway through its six-month street campaign to topple the government of then-Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, whom protesters accused of being controlled by her "corrupt" "anti-monarchy" brother and former prime minster Thaksin Shinawatra.

Today Pol.Gen. Somyot Pumphanmuang, deputy commander of the Royal Thai Police, said courts have approved the arrest warrants of the following seven suspects: Taweechai Wichakam, 39; Suthorn Pipuannok, 49; Susak Lomwong, 32; Somsri Marit, 40; Kannika Wongtua, 38; Wichian Supirom, 33; and Chatchawan Prapbumrung, 45.

All of the suspects have been charged with premeditated murder, causing explosions with intention to harm other people, carrying and using explosive devices without a permit, possessing firearms and ammunition without a permit, carrying weapons into residential areas without due cause, firing explosives in residential area without due cause, and violating the Internal Security Act, which was imposed over Bangkok at the time. 

Pol.Gen. Somyot confirmed that all suspects are civilians, but would not say whether they belong to any political groups. 

"We are still interrogating the people involved," Pol.Gen. Somyot said. "We also have to investigate how the suspects managed to acquire the weapons."

Pol.Gen. Somyot added that he could not provide additional details about the suspects and criticised other police officers for sharing too much information about criminal cases with the media.

"I already stressed to all the police officers that they should not publicise the methods of investigation, because it's like teaching criminals to understand the work of the police. It will make the work harder for the police," he said.

Almost 30 people were killed in shootouts and grenade attacks on PCAD protest sites throughout its six month campaign against Ms. Yingluck, which ended in a military coup on 22 May. 

The coupmakers, led by army chief Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, insisted that the military intervention was necessary to prevent further bloodshed between the PCAD and rival pro-government political groups that were also staging rallies in Bangkok at the time. 

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By Cod Satrusayang, dpa

BANGKOK (DPA) — The Thai military is considering organizing its own military exercises after the United States threatened to exclude Thailand from its annual Asian drills, a senior military source said Monday.

For several years, Thailand has hosted the annual Cobra Gold exercises, Asia's largest, but US officials had suggested moving them to Australia after the Thai military took power in a coup on May 22.

The US had already cancelled Thailand's invitation to a maritime warfare exercise in Hawaii in June and the status of Cobra Gold was reportedly under review.

"We are fully prepared to have our own regional exercise," a senior Thai military official told dpa. "Several countries have already told us they would participate in such an event." 

"The United States must realize that we have countries on this side of the world who understand [the Thai political situation]," the source said.

Thailand's junta said the US was now willing to go ahead with the exercises in Thailand, a military source told The Nation newspaper.

"The US has submitted a letter saying it will resume Cobra Gold jointly with Thailand, but we have not responded to it," the source said.

Thailand has meanwhile been developing its ties with China.

Thailand's acting foreign minister travelled to China over the weekend to strengthen bilateral ties. The talks were described as "productive."  

The junta is also making diplomatic overtures to Latin America, Africa and elsewhere in the developing world to explain the reasons for the coup, and to clarify its roadmap to democracy.