As many as 1.6 million people marched through Paris on Sunday in a massive show of unity and defiance in the face of terrorism that killed 17 people in France's bleakest moment in half a century.
The march ended without major incident by 9 p.m. Sunday, Paris police said.
Their arms linked, more than 40 world leaders headed the somber procession, setting aside their differences for a manifestation that French President Francois Hollande said turned the city into "the capital of the world."
Amid intense security and with throngs rivaling those that followed the liberation of Paris from the Nazis, the city became "the capital of the world" for a day.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood near Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also marched.
Notable for his absence was President Barack Obama.
Even U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, who was in Paris for a pre-march terrorism summit convened by Hollande, skipped the historic event.
The absence of the leader of the world's most powerful nation did did not go unnoticed.
CNN anchor Jake Tapper noted the presence of several key Middle Eastern leaders like King Abdullah of Jordan and Abbas.
Abdullah is a a direct descendant of the Prophet Mohammed, Tapper noted.
"It is not a small thing for him to be walking in the same line as the Prime Minister of Israel, protesting the terrorist acts committed against A) four Jews in a kosher supermarket, and B) 12 people, most of whom were journalists for a publication that regularly mocked religions, including Islam," Tapper said while covering the rally from streets of Paris.
"I don't mean this as a criticism of the Obama administration, but just as an American, I do wish that we were better represented in this beautiful procession of world leaders," Tapper said. "But I'm a little disappointed personally. This is me speaking personally, not as a representative of CNN, but as an American, that there isn't more of a display of unity here because this is just one of the most incredible events I've ever attended."
Other pundits also made note of Obama's absence, Mediaite and others noted:
Read Latest Breaking News from Newsmax.com http://www.Newsmax.com/Headline/charlie-hebdo-rally-france/2015/01/11/id/617838/#ixzz3OYiF7drg
http://barracudabrigade.net/world-leaders-%E2%9E%A0-but-not-obama-%E2%9E%A0-rally-against-terror-in-france/
http://townhall.com/tipsheet/LeahBarkoukis/2015/01/11/france-declares-war-on-radical-islam-eric-holder-refuses-n1941564
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