Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., March 04, 2008 Adar1 27, 5768 | | Israel Time: 02:25 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

U.S. calls for end to violence; Arab world protests Gaza deaths By News Agencies The United States yesterday called for an end to clashes between Israel and the Palestinians as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice confirmed plans to visit the region this week. "The violence needs to stop and the talks [between Israel and the Palestinian Authority] need to resume," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said. Advertisement A State Department spokesman said Rice's plans to meet with PA President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert during her visit "remain intact," adding: "we're encouraging Israel to exercise caution to avoid the loss of innocent life." A statement released by the Slovenian presidency of the European Union condemned "the recent disproportionate use of force by the Israeli Defense Forces against the Palestinian population in Gaza." At the same time the statement condemned the continued firing of rockets into Israeli territory by Gaza militants and called for its immediate end. In Berlin, Germany's Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier insisted that Israel "must preserve the principle of proportionateness." United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also issued a condemnation of what he termed Israel's "excessive and disproportionate" response and called on Israel "to cease such attacks," while denouncing the ongoing rocket attacks on Sderot and Ashkelon. Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the IDF attacks can have no humanitarian justification and added that Israel was rejecting a diplomatic solution to the dispute. In the Vatican after his traditional Sunday blessing, Pope Benedict XVI appealed for an unconditional end to the fighting. In the Arab world, demonstrators took to the streets yesterday to protest the IDF attacks. In Lebanon, hundreds of Hezbollah supporters gathered at the Fatima Gate at the border between between Lebanon and Israel, shouting "Death to Israel" and waving Lebanese and Palestinian flags. In Egypt, thousands of students held protests at universities across the country calling on Arab leaders to stop Israeli aggression and support the Palestinians. Some protesters burned Israeli and American flags. Saudi Arabia meanwhile compared the IDF offensive to Nazi war crimes and called on the international community to stop what it called the "mass killings" of Palestinians. Et tu, Mauritania? The government of Mauritania, one of the only Arab League nations to have diplomatic ties with Israel, called on Israel to stop the bloodbath in Gaza. An estimated 3,000 students marched in front of the Mauritanian parliament complex, calling on representatives to cut off diplomatic relations with Israel. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called on Muslims to rise up and their leaders to hit Israel "in the face with their nations' anger," according to a statement read out on state television. The head of the UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, condemned the rising number of civilian deaths in Gaza and, "at the same time, I condemn the rockets, which lead to a senseless loss of civilian lives." Bookmark to del.icio.us   In the line of fire Rights Group: Over 50% of Gaza casualties weren't militants. Uncle Sam blames you U.S. blames Hamas for sparking violence in south Israel, Gaza.

Today Online IDF pulls troops out of Gaza, Hamas declares 'victory' Responses: 260 PM: Peace talks to go on, as will attacks on Hamas Responses: 152 Issacharoff and Harel: Hamas wants lull, but only on its own terms Responses: 47 'We thought you wanted peace,' says father of slain Gaza sisters Responses: 134 U.K. Jewish pupils boycott Shakespeare test over Bard's anti-Semitism Responses: 75 More Headlines 01:03 UN Security Council approves tougher sanctions against Iran 22:40 Abbas: I'm ready to negotiate a truce between Israel, Hamas 00:47 Obama says United States should not meet with Hamas 21:13 Palestinian killed in IAF strike on rocket squad in northern Gaza 00:00 Haaretz journalist Ehud Asheri dies of cancer at 57 01:29 Prof.: Psychotropic plants made Moses hear 'voices' at Mt Sinai 00:00 Knesset okays law increasing financial aid to Holocaust survivors 01:52 Berlin to start sealing cracks in Holocaust memorial slabs 22:31 White House blames Hamas for sparking violence in south Israel 21:39 Arab ex-MK Azmi Bishara meets Syrian President in Damascus 21:27 Four Palestinians arrested after attacking police officers in E. Jerusalem Previous Editions Select Day 03 mar 02 mar 29 feb 28 feb 27 feb 26 feb 25 feb 24 feb 22 feb 21 feb 20 feb 19 feb

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