HUNDREDS of people turned out to hear political speakers at a conference on the situation in Gaza.

About 500 people attended the meeting — entitled Know the facts: The history and current situation in Palestine — at the Bolton Council of Mosques in Vicarage Street, Bolton.

Bolton South-east MP Brian Iddon, Bolton North-east MP David Crausby, North-west MEP Gary Titley, and Ismail Adam Patel from Friends of Al Aqsa, were all guest speakers at the Friday evening event.

Dr Iddon, who has been secretary of the all party Parliamentary Britain Palestinian Group for 10 years, said: “The room was absolutely packed, it was standing room only. People came in support of people in Gaza and to call for peace and a ceasefire. There were a lot of strong feelings expressed, but it was a very well tempered meeting.

“As long as this dispute carries on, the meetings will continue and grow, as will the anger on the streets. I want to see the Government putting huge pressure on Israel to sort this out and withdraw from Gaza. If they don’t there will be huge anger on the streets of Britain.”

Elsewhere, Whitefield MP Ivan Lewis defended Israel’s right to protect its citizens in a speech at a peace rally in Manchester on Sunday.