ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek police clashed with protesters after a pro-Palestinian march to the Israeli embassy in Athens on Wednesday, Reuters witnesses and police officials said.

More than 2,500 people marched through the streets of Athens to the embassy carrying Palestinian flags and chanting "Free Palestine!"

A group of protesters broke off the march, which was largely peaceful, and hurled stones at police who had formed a security cordon outside the embassy. Police fired tear gas to disperse them.

Three people were detained during the brief clashes, a police official said.

Earlier this month, violence broke out during a pro-Palestinian rally in central Athens, a day after the Israeli military launched a ground and air operation in part of eastern Rafah in the Gaza Strip.

(Reporting by Stelios Misinas and Renee Maltezou; editing by Jonathan Oatis)