Paris, Jan 12 (AFP): Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas had their closest encounter in years on Sunday when they joined world leaders in a historic march against terrorism in Paris. On a day that was already heavy with symbolism, one of the most remarkable scenes was that of the two nemeses walking on the front line of the unity rally, with just four dignitaries standing between them. 

They were among dozens of foreign representatives who had jetted into the French capital at short notice to take part in an unprecedented show of solidarity after 17 people were killed in Islamist attacks in France this week, including several journalists and cartoonists. 

They marched with hundreds of thousands of people through Paris Sunday in a historic show of solidarity and defiance after terrorist attacks in the French capital that claimed 17 lives.
At least 3.7 million marched across France in record mobilisation, AFP reported. 

A sea of humanity flowed through Paris' iconic streets, breaking into applause and spontaneous renditions of the national anthem, as a shell-shocked France mourned the victims of three days of bloody violence. 

"Charlie! Charlie!" chanted the vast crowd, in honour of the cartoonists and journalists killed at Charlie Hebdo over its lampooning of the Prophet Mohammed. 

Emotions ran high in the grieving City of Light, with many of those marching bursting into tears as they came together under the banner of freedom of speech and liberty after France's worst terrorist bloodbath in more than half a century. 

Lassina Traore, a 34-year-old French-born Muslim from the Ivory Coast, said the march is "a real sign of how strong France is. It shows that France is strong when she is united against these people." 

Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders was heavily critical of some of the dignitaries attending the march -- including Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry -- accusing them of restricting media freedoms in their own countries.

As the heads of state and government kicked off the march, it had been a long time since Netanyahu and Abbas had been in such close proximity. 

In a row of leaders walking arm in arm, the two were separated only by Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Council president Donald Tusk. 

With the Middle East peace talks deadlocked, the last face-to-face meeting between Netanyahu and Abbas dates back to some four years ago. No such meeting was expected of them Sunday.
They were not the only foes to brush shoulders in Paris. Also present were Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, whose countries are engaged in a violent struggle in Ukraine. 

"Paris is the capital of the world today," said Hollande ahead of the unity march, which also brought crowds onto the streets across Europe and the Middle East. 

Before he set off for the Paris march, Britain's David Cameron said: "We in Britain face a very similar threat, a threat of fanatical extremism. 

"It's a threat that has been with us for many years and I believe will be with us for many more years to come," he told Sky News. 

The procession was organised in record time following a three-day jihadist killing spree that began on Wednesday when two gunmen mowed down 12 people at the Paris office of satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, a target of repeated threats over its cartoons mocking the Prophet Mohammed. 

A third attacker shot dead a policewoman on Thursday and took hostages in a Jewish supermarket a day later, killing four of them. 

All three gunmen were eventually shot dead by security forces. 

Many of the millions of people taking part in the rallies on Sunday held up pens and signs with the words "Je Suis Charlie" in support of freedom of expression. 

On the streets, many came with their families. Jean-Alain said he brought his seven-year-old son Alessandro with him "so it's more concrete for him, so that he can see that we all think the same thing." 

"The people who pick up a gun and kill people are cowards," the 39-year-old gently explained to his boy.

"I want to show that we're not scared of the extremists. I want to defend freedom of expression," said 70-year-old Jacqueline Saad-Rouana. 

The families of those who died in the shootings led the march, alongside heads of state and royalty. 

Security in the French capital was beefed up, with police snipers stationed on rooftops and plain-clothes officers among the crowd in a city still reeling from the Islamist attacks.
"Today, Paris is the capital of the world," Hollande said. "The entire country will rise up," he told ministers before the march. 

Reporters Without Borders said it was "outraged" by some foreign dignitaries showing solidarity in Paris while cracking down on freedom of expression in their own countries. 

The group singled out Egypt, Russia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates for criticism, accusing them of systematically persecuting journalists and bloggers. 

"On what grounds are representatives of regimes that are predators of press freedom coming to Paris to pay tribute to Charlie Hebdo, a publication that has always defended the most radical concept of freedom of expression?" it said in a statement.