Respect MP George Galloway has called on Bradford Council to twin with Gaza as a show of solidarity during the conflict with Israel.

The Bradford West MP also appealed to those attending a city centre rally to boycott Israeli products as he spoke in defence of the Palestinians caught up in the Gaza conflict.

In front of hundreds of people at Saturday's event in Centenary Square, Mr Galloway said he wanted councillors from all parties, along with fellow Bradford MPs David Ward and Gerry Sutcliffe, "to twin Gaza with Bradford now and forever more".

But Council Leader David Green said any twinning proposal would have to go through the council and "would need to be clear about what it was proposing and what that actually meant."

Instead, Cllr Green said any twinning proposals might be more beneficial if they included links with both communities.

"I think if we are seeking to assist in bringing peace to the Middle East it would be helpful to twin both with somewhere in the Palestinian territories and somewhere within the state of Israel and act as a conduit between the two communities."

The Palestinian flag was raised in Centenary Square following requests from the community and Cllr Green said all the major political parties had been consulted, without objections.

The flag was not a symbol of the council taking sides, but was recognition of the effect of the conflict on innocent members of the community in Gaza.