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President Ahmadinejad
Photo: Reuters
'Israel playing with fire.' King Abdullah
Photo: AFP

Iran urges West to punish Israel over 'settlements'

Islamic Republic's foreign ministry urges Western nations to 'put a stop to the Zionist regime's state terrorism' by taking 'practical action'; Jordanian king: Israel playing with fire

Iran on Thursday urged the West to take action against Israel over the Jewish state's decision to build more houses in east Jerusalem.

 

"The action taken by Western countries should no longer be theatrical but should be practical (and) put a stop to the Zionist regime's state terrorism," ISNA news agency quoted foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast as saying.

 

Mehmanparast also slammed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for saying that demands for a settlement freeze were "unreasonable," and that "Jerusalem is not a settlement. It is our capital."

 

The Iranian spokesman said such a policy portrayed the "Zionist regime leaders' habit of aggression and occupation."

 

He called on the Organization of Islamic Conference and Arab League to "seriously deal with the comments made by the Zionist regime leaders... and come up with real solutions to neutralize such approaches."

 

Tehran does not recognize Israel and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has drawn international condemnation for repeatedly saying the Jewish state should be wiped off the map.

 

Jordan's King Abdullah on Thursday said Israel is "playing with fire" by continuing construction in east Jerusalem and attempting to "change the identity of the holy city."

 

"We have warned repeatedly that Israel is playing with fire and Jordan rejects and condemns all actions aimed at changing the identity of Jerusalem, emptying it of its Arab inhabitants, both Christian and Muslim," the King said in an interview with a major newspaper in Jordan.

 

"East Jerusalem should be the capital of an independent Palestinian state which must be established as soon as possible," said Abdullah.

 

 

The diplomatic quartet -- the United States, Russia, the United Nations and the European Union -- met in Moscow on Friday and called on Israel to freeze settlement activity.

 


פרסום ראשון: 03.25.10, 10:54
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