VIENNA (Reuters) - Vienna police on Wednesday banned a pro-Palestinian protest due to coincide with a pro-Israel event after Saturday's attack by Hamas, citing the fact the phrase "from the river to the sea" was mentioned in invitations and characterising it as a call to violence. The head of the city's police force, Gerhard Puerstl, held a news conference at short notice less than three hours before the protest was due to be held at 7 p.m. (1700 GMT) on the square next to the cathedral in the centre of the city. The river is the Jordan and the sea is the Mediterranean, between which lie Israel and the Palestinian territories. The phrase is often chanted at pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Austria's ruling conservatives have in recent years adopted one of the most pro-Israel stances in the European Union.

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Persons: Gerhard Puerstl, Puerstl, Jordan, Chancellor Karl Nehammer's, Francois Murphy, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Vienna police, PLO, Palestine, Organisation, European Union Locations: VIENNA, Vienna, Israel, Palestine, Palestinian