Police use pepper spray to break up Israel and Palestine clash

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Police have broken up a clash between Israel and Palestine supporters outside a burger shop in Melbourne's south east.

Hundreds of pro-Palestinian supporters held a rally in Caufield South but it became heated when hundreds of pro-Israel supporters showed up last night.

Police were forced to separate the groups after they clashed.

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Melbourne Israeli Palestine clash

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It turned violent when the pro-Palestinian demostratorrs stormed a police line, forcing officers to use pepper spray on one man.

He wasn't arrested but he was removed from the scene.

One man suffered minor injuries when a rock was thrown at him.

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9news understands the rally was in response to a prominent pro-Palestinian activist who owns a local burger shop in the area, which was allegedly the target of arsonists yesterday.

Police don't believe the arson was politically motivated but the owner believes the fire bombing was a hate crime.

Thousands of Palestinians streamed onto Gaza's only highway on Friday, fleeing the combat zone in the north after Israel announced a window for safe passage, as officials in the enclave said the Palestinian death toll surpassed 11,000 people.