Carr warns Israel of feeding extremism

Foreign Minister Bob Carr has warned Israel it runs the risk of "feeding extremism" if its response to Hamas is seen as disproportionate.

Senator Carr's caution came on Sunday as about 100 supporters of the Jewish state rallied outside the Israeli embassy in Canberra after airstrikes killed 16 Palestinians in Gaza overnight.

Israel's ambassador to Australia Yuval Rotem said he was moved by the gesture of the supporters who had gathered at the embassy in Yarralumla.

The Australian government has repeatedly said Israel has a right to defend its people from attack, but Senator Carr on Sunday used stronger rhetoric when he again called for "a de-escalation and calm".

Israel launched the operation on Wednesday following what it said was months of rocket fire out of the Hamas-ruled territory."We say that account must be taken of civilian casualties, that Israel should be aware of the risk its own troops will be under, the risk of injury or death or kidnapping, and Israel should be aware of the danger of feeding extremism by what might be seen as a disproportionate reaction," Senator Carr told reporters in Sydney.

The Israeli military alleged 500 rockets were fired into Israel since fighting began.

But, Mr Carr said Israel ran the risk of a backlash with its attack on Gaza, one of the most densely populated regions in the world.

"Any Israeli reaction has got to take into account the great danger of civilian casualties, of the danger of the world seeing it as a disproportionate reaction even though the rocket attacks on Israel are the key cause of this tension," Senator Carr said.

Israel is also massing troops at the Gaza border and has given its approval for the recruitment of up to 75,000 reservists.

Mr Rotem said every rocket over Tel Aviv was a step in the wrong direction and that if Israel couldn't stop the attacks it had to consider other options. "That's when this option of going into a ground operation is definitely on the table," he said.

Mr Rotem said he was heartened by the pro-Israel rally outside the embassy.  "We're a country that is not very spoilt throughout history with support, so when a small community like Canberra is voluntarily mobilised to support in understanding the last few days I think it is very meaningful," he said.

Labor MP Mike Kelly, who attended the rally, said the answer to the violence was simple: "Hamas stops firing rockets and the retaliation can stop."

Hamas needed to recognise Israel, renounce violence and terrorism and come to the table to talk peace, Mr Kelly said.

"What the Australian government wants is a peaceful solution to this crisis, to the overall situation, a two-state solution," he said.

Senator Carr repeated that he expected one of the legacies US President Barack Obama would seek in his second term was the creation of a Palestinian state.