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Middle East nations condemn Israel's Gaza invasion

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-01-05 00:02

Turkey urged the UN to take the necessary steps to bring the situation under control and condemned the "unacceptable" offensive.

Related readings:  Security Council schedules emergency consultations  Palestine seeks strong Security Council message for Israel  Israeli forces bisect Gaza, surround biggest city  Israeli ground forces enter Gaza in escalation

"We condemn and find it unacceptable that Israel has begun a ground operation (in Gaza) in spite of the warnings and reactions from the international community," said a foreign ministry statement.

"It is obvious that escalating the tension will not benefit anyone."

Hamas fired dozens of rockets into Israel after an Egyptian-mediated six-month truce expired on December 19. The militant group says it will not support a ceasefire as long as Israel continues to blockade the coastal strip.

Iran said in response to Israel's ground operations that Gaza would become a "cemetery" for Israel.

Gulf newspapers slammed Washington's "protection of Israel" at the UN which has "prevented any international dissuasive (action) and the possibility of imposing a ceasefire," wrote the Emirati Al-Bayan daily.

Saudi's Al-Riyadh attacked US President George W. Bush "who started his first presidential mandate with wars of occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan and ends his (White House) days welcoming the spilling of Palestinian blood."

The Israeli press backed the ground offensive and its "limited" objectives, but looked to diplomatic ways of ending the conflict at the appropriate time.

"This is not a 'ground operation' but a real war, a war to defend our homes and lives," wrote the mass-circulation Yediot Aharonot.

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