‘Israeli officials must be tried for Gaza’

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:17:12 GMT

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called for establishing a war crimes tribunal to try Israeli officials for their crimes in Gaza.

“I promise the people of the world that very soon a war crimes tribunal will be set up to bring Israeli officials and their supporters in the US and the West to justice,” said President Ahmadinejad at a Thursday press conference in Tehran.

Since the beginning of the Israeli offensive against the Gaza Strip on Dec. 27, at least 1,100 Palestinians have been killed and 4,700 have been wounded. The majority of the victims are women and children.

He criticized Western countries for their silence on the atrocities committed by Israel in the impoverished strip and said that the world holds the US and Britain responsible for the human tragedy in Gaza.

“Israel was created on a false and illegal basis to aid Western powers in dominating the Middle East,” said President Ahmadinejad.

He urged Muslim countries to cut trade relations with Israel.

Earlier in the week, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, issued a decree boycotting the purchase or promotion of Israeli-linked products.

“Since the Zionists are now at war with Islam, Muslims should avoid any action which might bring them [Israelis] profit,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.

The Iranian president also welcomed the idea of imposing an oil embargo on Israel and its supporters, saying “I think it is a good proposal should Arab countries cooperate.”

Iran is the world’s fourth-largest crude producer.

DB/HGH/AA

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