Sunday 28 December 2008

World wants end to Gaza operation

The deadly Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip and its killing of civilians in the past two days have prompted worldwide demonstrations.

Many countries have been in deep shock ever since Israel began staging devastating attacks on the Gaza Strip on Saturday.

The situation has now escalated with Israel warning of ground incursions into the impoverished strip. Israeli attacks have killed at least 282 Palestinians since Saturday. Nearly 800 others are wounded.

Thousands of Palestinians took their concern over the air raids to the streets in cities and villages in the West Bank. Israeli forces immediately responded by firing rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs at the demonstrators

Dozens of Palestinians were injured.

Anger over the bloody attacks was not limited to the West Bank. Some 5 thousand demonstrators in Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey, condemned the assault and promised their support for the Palestinians, shouting in unison "Istanbul Stands Here Today for Gaza".

"No government gains power by killing people. You should have policies. You are a tribe that was tortured over centuries. So you know how it feels, stop killing people," a demonstrator said in condemnation of Zionism in an interview with Press TV reporter Jody Sabral.

The Israeli military action also sparked protests in Sidney, Australia where people showed their anger over the developments surrounding Gaza outside the US consulate.

The protesters sought to draw world attention to the ongoing US extension of financial and political support to Tel Aviv despite the blockade imposed on Gaza.

In the Jordanian capital Amman massive demonstrations were erupted in denunciation of the Israeli assault. Protesters cried and expressed shock as the death of hundreds of women and children was revealed.

"Jordanian people have poured to the cities to clearly protest against this massacre and say that the real criminals of this massacre today are the Arab officials and governments that have given the green light for this occupying army to conduct this air raids," Ali Abu-Sukkar, a member of Islamic Action Front, told Press TV reporter Tarek Al-Farra.

"For the Jordanian government, it's time for the end of this so-called peace agreement with Israel," he added.

Meanwhile, in Lebanon, about 4-thousand protesters marched through Beirut. The Lebanese nation promised to stand beside the Palestinian people and to support the Hamas.

The Lebanese protesters also planned to protest outside the Egyptian embassy.

The protests come amid Washington's use of veto powers in support of Israel. The United States has managed to sanction Israeli crimes against the Palestinians by vetoing over 40 anti-Israel resolutions so far brought to the UN Security Council.

The Sunday US intervention in the UN Security Council bid to condemn Israeli crimes against the Gaza Strip blocked efforts to bring the attacks to a halt.

The UN Human Rights Council declared early in December that Israeli policies against the Palestinians and the blockade of the Gaza Strip are "crimes against humanity."

UN human rights rapporteur Richard Falk suggested that Israeli crimes against the Palestinians are worthy of an International Criminal Court investigation.

People in Turkey showing their support for the Palestinians







Jordanians shout slogans during a demonstration in Amman

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