Across town at Times Square, about 150 pro-Palestinian demonstrators waved signs with pictures of dead and wounded children and chanted, "No justice, no peace! Israel out of the Middle East."
More than 800 Palestinians have died in the Israeli offensive, which began Dec. 27 in an attempt to halt years of Palestinian rocket attacks.
Militants from Hamas, the elected leadership in Gaza, launched barrages of rockets Sunday at the Israeli city of Beersheba and at the town of Sderot.
Partisans of the two sides blamed the other side at their New York rallies.
"What country would be asked not to defend itself?" Sen. Charles Schumer asked the pro-Israel rally. "Would any country that had rockets launched at it day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year be told, 'Let the rockets continue? Just sit down and talk?"'
Demonstrators wore red baseball hats in solidarity with Israelis who go on red alert at rocket attacks and chanted, "Israel yes, Hamas no!"
At the smaller pro-Palestinian rally, Lebanese-American Bassem Nassar said Israel "is creating the situation that allows people to fire missiles at them" by occupying Palestinian territory.
"The occupation has to end," he said. "If the occupation ends, they have a right to defend themselves, just like any other country has the right to defend itself."
Police said seven officers were injured during the rallies.
----
Click here for New York and Tri-State News
Follow us on Facebook || Twitter New York News
Get Eyewitness News delivered to you every evening!