Saudi Shi'ites stage bigger pro-Hizbollah protests

RIYADH, Aug 2 (Reuters) More than 2,000 Saudi Muslim Shi'ites marched in the country's Eastern Province late yesterday to denounce Israel's military onslaught against Lebanon, the second rare protest this week in the Sunni-led kingdom.

Residents said up to 2,000 people took part in a march in the eastern city of al-Qatif and hundreds more marched in the neighbouring town of al-Awamiya.

A Shi'ite Web site carried photographs of the protesters, which included Saudi women and children, bearing pictures of Hizbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and the guerrilla group's yellow flag.

It said Lebanese expatriates also took part.

''Not Sunnis, not Shi'ites -- it's one Islamic unity. Oh beloved Hizbollah, destroy Tel Aviv!'' the Web site quoted the protesters as saying.

Public protests are banned in Saudi Arabia, which sees itself as the bastion of Sunni Islam, and Saudi media have not reported the Shi'ite demonstrations.

One resident told Reuters the marchers dispersed peacefully.

''There was a light security deployment monitoring the marches,'' the man said.

Shi'ites say a heavy police deployment prevented them from staging similar protests over a week ago, but dozens of Saudi Shi'ites managed to hold protests on Sunday in the same areas.

Interior Ministry officials declined to comment.

The key U.S. ally, which fears the rising influence of Shi'ite power Iran in the Arab world, has criticised Israel but has also blamed Hizbollah for provoking the crisis, which has so far killed more at least 643 in Lebanon and 55 Israelis.

REUTERS LL PC1822