AL urges UN action on Israel Gaza raids

A view of an emergency meeting of the Arab League's permanent representatives to discuss the latest Israeli air attacks on the Gaza Strip, in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, August 21, 2011

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/195047.html

The Arab League (AL) has condemned the continuous Israeli airstrikes on the impoverished Gaza Strip, calling on the United Nations to intervene in order for the raids to be stopped.

“We issued a statement condemning the Israeli offensive on Gaza,” AFP quoted AL Secretary General Nabil El-Araby as saying on Sunday.

“The United Nations has to take procedures to stop the Israeli offensive on Gaza,” he added.

The remarks come after the 22-member organization held an emergency meeting to examine the dire situation of the people of Gaza due to Israel's continuous airstrikes on the coastal sliver since late Thursday.

Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 16 Palestinians and injured nearly 50 others in the past nearly four days.

Israel claimed the attacks were launched in response to assaults that targeted two buses and a military vehicle near the Red Sea resort of Eilat in southern Israel, which left eight Israelis dead.

Israeli Minister for Military Affairs Ehud Barak quickly accused resistance groups in Gaza for the attacks and vowed a “full response.”

Hamas has said that it had nothing to do with the assault and warned against any act of aggression against the Gaza Strip.

Israel also imposed a blockade on Gaza since the Hamas government took control of the territory in 2007.

The blockade has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the impoverished territory.

Some 1.5 million people are being denied their basic rights, including the freedom of movement and their rights to appropriate living conditions, work, health and education.