World powers slam Israeli attack on Gaza

BRUSSELS (AFP) - World powers called for an immediate end to violence after massive and deadly Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip Saturday. The European Union and Russia urged both sides to stop the violence.
In the Middle East, the Arab League singled out Israel for blame, and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference accused it of a "war crime" for not protecting the lives of civilians. Middle East envoy Tony Blair deplored the "tragic of loss of life," and called for an end to rocket attacks from Israel.
The former British premier also urged a "new strategy for Gaza, which brings that territory back under the legitimate rule of the Palestinian Authority in a manner which ends their suffering and fully protects the security of Israel."
The French EU presidency expressed "greatest concern at the escalation of violence in the Gaza Strip and deplores the very large number of civilian victims."
In Paris, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said he "strongly condemns the irresponsible provocations which led to this situation as well as the disproportionate use of force."
A spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana earlier Saturday said "everything must be done to reinstate the truce" declared by the Palestinian Hamas movement controlling Gaza, which expired on December 19.
The EU also called for all crossing points out of Gaza to be reopened and deliveries of aid and fuel to be resumed, as well as free access for international humanitarian groups, journalists and diplomats, which Israel has blocked.
Russia's foreign ministry called on Israel "to halt immediately the large-scale acts of force against the Gaza Strip" and said that the most important priority was for the parties to restore a truce.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he was "deeply concerned" about the situation in Gaza, adding he understood "the Israel government's sense of obligation to its population."
In the region, Amr Mussa, secretary general of the Cairo-based Arab League, called for an emergency meeting on Sunday of foreign ministers of Arab countries.
He asked Libya, currently a member of the UN Security Council, to organise an emergency meeting about the Israeli raids.
An official in Tripoli said Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi had contacted Arab leaders to seek a "firm and serious position after the butchery which took place today in Gaza."
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday condemned massive Israeli air strikes on Gaza, calling them a mark of "disrespect" toward Ankara's efforts to negotiate peace.
"I consider the action taken by Israel, while we are making so many efforts for peace, as delivering a blow to those peace initiatives," said Erdogan, according to the Anatolia news agency.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said in a statement that "Egypt condemns the Israeli military aggression on the Gaza Strip and blames Israel, as an occupying force, for the victims and the wounded."
He ordered the Rafah crossing point between Egypt and Gaza to be opened for wounded Palestinians to be evacuated "so they can receive the necessary treatment in Egyptian hospitals."
Around 2,000 angry Egyptians demonstrated in Cairo against Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip.
In Amman the royal palace said King Abdullah of Jordan had been in touch with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas and with Mubarak to "launch an Arab and international initiative aimed at ending the Israeli aggression."
From Turkey, a Muslim country that has been an ally of Israel in the region, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the Israeli military operation was a mark of "disrespect" for Ankara's efforts to negotiate peace for Israel with its longtime foe Syria.
"I consider the action taken by Israel, while we are making so many efforts for peace, as delivering a blow to those peace initiatives," said Erdogan, according to the Anatolia news agency.
Syria condemned the Israeli air raids as a "barbaric crime" and called for an emergency summit of the Arab League, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
"Syria is following with great anxiety the barbaric Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people in Gaza," the statement said, branding the attack "a horrific crime and terrorist act."