Iran: “Death to Israel”
World leaders condems the Hamas attack on Israel, with one notable exception.
UNITED STATES
US President Joe Biden described the deadly attack from Palestinian militant group Hamas as “unconscionable” and warned “any party hostile to Israel” not to seek advantage.
Biden said from the White House that he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the United States “stands with the people of Israel in the face of these terrorist assaults. Israel has the right to defend itself and its people, full stop. There’s never a justification for terrorist attacks and my administration’s support for Israeli’s security is rock solid and unwavering.”
“Let me say this as clearly as I can. This is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks to seek advantage. The world is watching.”
UKRAINE
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on world leaders to show solidarity and unity in supporting Israel and condemned the “terrorist attack” by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.
Zelenskiy, whose army has been fighting a war Russia launched against it 19 months ago, said that Israel – just like Ukraine – has “every right” to protect itself.
“Let the value of human life and the intolerance of terror be the principles that will finally unite the whole world,” Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address.
“Wherever they aim their missiles and whomever they attack, terrorists must lose. And this is important for the whole world.”
UNITED NATIONS
UN Middle East peace envoy Tor Wennesland said: “This is a dangerous precipice, and I appeal to all to pull back from the brink.”
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Tuerk said: “This attack is having a horrific impact on Israeli civilians … Civilians must never be the target of attack.”
EUROPE
European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen denounced the “senseless attack” by Hamas, saying: “This violence is neither a political solution nor an act of bravery. It is purely terrorism.”
GERMANY
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said his country stands beside Israel.
“Terrifying news reaches us today from #Israel. We are deeply shocked by the rocket fire from Gaza and the escalating violence. Germany condemns these attacks by Hamas and stands by Israel,” Scholz said on social media.
FRANCE
French President Emmanuel Macon strongly condemned the attacks.
“I express my full solidarity with the victims, and their families and those close to them,” he said.
RUSSIA
Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia’s deputy foreign minister and a former ambassador to Israel and Egypt, told the state Tass agency that Moscow was in touch with “all parties (of the conflict), including Arab countries” and urged “an immediate ceasefire and peace” between Hamas and Israel.
Bogdanov did not specify the Arab nations with which Russian diplomats were speaking.
SAUDI ARABIA
Saudi Arabia called for an immediate halt to the fighting, urging both sides to protect civilians and exercise restraint.
“The kingdom recalls its repeated warnings of the dangers of the situation exploding as a result of the continued occupation, the Palestinian people being deprived of their legitimate rights and the repetition of system provocations against” them by Israel, a Saudi Foreign Ministry statement said.
IRAN
In Iran, Israel’s regional archenemy, members of parliament opened their session on Saturday by chanting “Death to Israel” and “Israel will be doomed, Palestine will be the conqueror.”
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said: “Today’s operation created a new page in the field of resistance and armed operation against occupiers,” the ISNA news agency reported.
with AP
