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Hezbollah supporters protesting against the Gaza offensive near the border with Israel on Sunday. (AP)
Last update - 22:07 02/03/2008
Iran leader calls on Muslims to hit Israel 'in face' over Gaza op
By Reuters
Tags: Muslims, IDF, Iran, Gaza

Iran's supreme leader on Sunday called on Muslims to rise up and their leaders to hit Israel "in the face with their nations' anger" over the Israel Defense Forces' offensive in Gaza that has killed more than 100 Palestinians in less than a week.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also blamed Iran's other arch foe, the United States, for the violence in Gaza.

"It is with the support of that [the U.S.] oppressive government that the Zionists [Israel] are committing these unforgivable sins with impudence," a statement read out on state television quoted him as saying.
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"The Islamic (people) must rise and the Islamic leaders must hit the occupying regime in the face with their nations' anger," Khamenei's statement said.

Violent protests erupted in West Bank communities around Jerusalem, as Palestinians in Atarot, Har Adar and Qalandia began throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails at IDF troops in the region.

Schools and shops across the West Bank shut down on Sunday to protest the Gaza violence, and spontaneous demonstrations took place throughout the territory at traditional flashpoints between Israeli troops and Palestinian youths, like checkpoints, watchtowers and patrol routes.

Later in Hebron, about 2,000 angry Hamas supporters marched through the city streets, waving copies of the Quran and green Hamas flags. "Revenge. Revenge. Retaliate in Tel Aviv," the crowd chanted.

The protest was uninterrupted by Palestinian security forces, who have previously violently broke up Hamas rallies in Hebron.

Some accused Abbas of being an Israeli agent, and protesters threw stones and cars, burned tires and forced shopkeepers to close their stores.

In Ramallah, home to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' government, thousands of schoolchildren demonstrated against Israel.

The attacks, which Israel says are in response to Palestinian rocket attacks, have caused fury in the Arab street, with demonstrations Saturday in Palestinian refugee camps in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon.

Hezbollah demonstrates near border

Hundreds of Hezbollah supporters gathered Sunday at a border fence separating Lebanon and Israel to protest the attacks in Gaza.

Up to 1,000 supporters carrying Lebanese and Palestinian flags took part in the demonstration at the Fatima Gate border point in the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Kila across from Israeli outposts on the other side.

"Death to Israel," some of them shouted. Others carried banners that read in Arabic: "The blood of our sons in Palestine will not be in vain."

Around 2,000 people from various Palestinian groups, including officials of the rival Hamas and Fatah factions - marched at the refugee camp of Ein el-Hilweh near the Lebanese port city of Sidon.

Children carried dolls representing the children of Gaza while other protesters carried pictures of the dead and wounded.

Tens of thousands protest in Jordan

Crying for revenge with suicide attacks, thousands of Jordanians marched in the capital of the pro-U.S. kingdom on Sunday to protest against the

About 10,000 protesters, mainly from Jordan's mainstream Muslim Brotherhood and smaller opposition groups, took to the streets in one of the country's most vocal and largest anti-Israeli demonstrations in recent years.

"O Hamas, O Hamas, bring the suicide bombers ... Victory to Hamas and defeat to the Jews and Americans," chanted the crowds, who called on the Islamist militant group to resume suicide attacks and intensify rocket strikes against Israel.

The Gaza attacks have been denounced by many Arab governments, including
Lebanon, the Gulf countries, Egypt and Jordan, while Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has described them as a holocaust against the Palestinian people.

Related articles:
  • Hebron teen dies, 4 Israelis hurt as violence spreads to W. Bank
  • 10 Gazans killed, 4 troops hurt in ongoing IDF op
  • 2 Israelis lightly wounded as 33 rockets slam in western Negev
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      1.   ANOTHER MUSLIM`S BLA BLA BLA 21:53  |  BOB KING THE ZIONIST 02/03/08
      2.   He called Israel a savage animal a couple of weeks ago 21:57  |  Harold 02/03/08
      3.   Iranian Jews need to leave NOW!!! .... 22:02  |  Ken 02/03/08
      4.   Why doesn`t he try and see what happens 22:57  |  Dan 02/03/08
      5.   Hitting Israel "in the face" 23:07  |  Douglas Fireman 02/03/08
      6.   Another ploy by Mullah`s for buying time 23:26  |  Yuri 02/03/08
      7.   If Israel does atrocities..... 23:33  |  Lebanese Citizen 02/03/08
      8.   Sometimes... 23:37  |  christa 02/03/08
      9.   hit israel 23:39  |  Adeel 02/03/08
      10.   as usual - all talk no walk 23:40  |  lots of bark, no bit 02/03/08
      11.   #1 What happens?? 23:43  |  IMAD 02/03/08
      12.   Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei 23:46  |  B.A 02/03/08
      13.   early warning system 23:51  |  Joke 02/03/08
      14.   israel 00:01  |  eli 03/03/08
      15.   Time to react 00:01  |  Pedro 03/03/08
      16.   Call for direct peace if refused then overpower the enemy 00:05  |  Ben Menachem 03/03/08
      17.   Lebanese#4 - Atrocities have different meanings 00:10  |  William 03/03/08
      18.   let`s not forget ..... 00:13  |  bingbong 03/03/08
      19.   Time to smack the" mullah" on his bottom! 00:33  |  Stephen. 03/03/08
      20.   israel is playing with fire! it worked partially for 60 years,but 00:34  |  lakshmi 03/03/08
      21.   ahmedinejad is a smart man, makes sense 00:41  |  raw truth 03/03/08
      22.   problems didnt start with rockets, israel lies 00:45  |  immortal 03/03/08
      23.   bingbong: Immaturity + Instults = persuasive arugments 01:07  |  Brad 03/03/08
      24.   IS IRAN BEING PAID OFF 01:24  |  TOBIA 03/03/08
      25.   RESPOND TO #17 01:28  |  TOBIA 03/03/08
      26.   #10 01:29  |  mag 03/03/08
      27.   Despite all of the talkback anti-Arabistic slurs 01:55  |  hollingsworth 03/03/08
      28.   king of the a holes 01:58  |  real vision 03/03/08
      29.   #8 02:19  |  Meir Yaakov 03/03/08
      30.   Lebanese citizen LOL 03:00  |  Bill 03/03/08
      31.   I wish they could 03:04  |  Rudy 03/03/08
      32.   # 1 is right 03:22  |  JJ 03/03/08
      33.   Stop trading with the jews! Cut off their Oil 03:27  |  lydia 03/03/08
      34.   More BS from Iran 03:34  |  Jason 03/03/08
      35.   Lydia 20: How wise. But we will not stop trading with Jews. 03:49  |  People of the World 03/03/08
      36.   Hmmmmm..... 03:57  |  HC 03/03/08
      37.   Imad 04:23  |  Jane 03/03/08
      38.   great solution #27 04:29  |  LARRY 03/03/08
      39.   Israel has a right to defend itself 05:01  |  IMAD 03/03/08
      40.   Ayatollah Ali Khamenei 05:12  |  Yosemite 03/03/08
      41.   #27 lydia 05:33  |  geoff 03/03/08
      42.   Hollingsworth#21 - wants refutes 06:01  |  William 03/03/08
      43.   Arabs did not protest against the Kasams 06:16  |  abdul mustafa 03/03/08
      44.   WoW! well done media 06:25  |  some random guy 03/03/08
      45.   israel 06:38  |  Pali FOR EVER 03/03/08
      46.   LYDIA.Set the right example.Do NOT buy anything developed by"jew" 06:45  |  PETER SM 03/03/08
      47.   All that shmuch has to do is tell them to stop the rockets 06:46  |  Bob 03/03/08
      48.   # 1, BOB KING THE ZIONIST 07:03  |  indrajaya 03/03/08
      49.   Lydia 07:38  |  Millie 03/03/08
      50.   Lydia: Stop giving oil to Israel 07:40  |  Moishe 03/03/08
      51.   Children Killed 07:57  |  Dan 03/03/08
      52.   Dan 08:32  |  Connie 03/03/08
      53.   Islam. 08:54  |  Jean Van Daem 03/03/08
      54.   The plan is...? 14:13  |  Strike 03/03/08
      55.   Achmadanajad is not sane 15:21  |  Atana Hovani 03/03/08
      56.   43 15:49  |  Atana 03/03/08
      57.   Jean van Daem 16:10  |  Red Shia 03/03/08
      58.   Dan`s remark 17:41  |  hollingsworth 03/03/08
      59.   Dubai 18:32  |  Joel 03/03/08
      60.   Iran 18:36  |  Kate 03/03/08
      61.   You deserve it! 19:24  |  IRAN#1 03/03/08
      62.   translation: `arabs, fight for us iranians.` 19:53  |  frenz 03/03/08
      63.   Warning Iran - Israel False Prophets 04:49  |  Marie Devine 04/03/08
      64.   Surely, William,... 06:01  |  hollingsworth 04/03/08
      65.   Tough talking Z`S 10:48  |  Amir 04/03/08
      66.   Ha!!! 21:54  |  Anthony 14/04/08
      67.   Iran pushing for Greater Iran: from the Euphrates to the sea 14:12  |  AliciaYasmeen 19/05/08
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