Mon, 29 Dec 2008 07:51:40 GMT

Top Iraqi cleric Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has called for decisive action by Arab and Muslim states for an end to Israeli attacks on Gaza.

"Condemning what is going on in Gaza and supporting our brothers only with words is meaningless, considering the big tragedy they are facing,'' Grand Ayatollah al-Sistani said, in a statement released by his office in Najaf.

"Arab and Islamic nations need to take a decisive stance, now more than ever, to end these ongoing aggressions and to break the unjust siege imposed on the brave people of Gaza,'' the Ayatollah said .

Israeli air forces staged massive airstrikes against the Gaza strip on Saturday and Sunday, killing more than 300 people and injuring 1550 others.

Following the attacks, most Arab governments condemned the Israeli air raids and called for an immediate end to hostilities.
 

Their reaction, however, was similar to the stance they took after Israel attacked Lebanon in the summer of 2006.

Despite their condemnations, Israeli officials later revealed that some influential Arabs states had supported their attack on Lebanon as it was launched with the aim of destroying the country's resistance movement of Hezbollah.

Ayatollah Sistani's remarks came as the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei called on the Muslim world to defend the people of Gaza.

All Muslims are obliged to defend the defenseless people of Gaza in any way they can; those killed on such a sacred path are indeed martyrs."

Ayatollah Khamenei slammed the collaboration of Washington and Tel Aviv, the silence of international bodies, and the indifference shown by some Arab countries which have paved the ground for such atrocities.

"Surely the Egyptian and Jordanian nations and other Muslims feel furious over these killings that follow the long-time blockade which banned food and medicine deliveries (to the Strip)," said the Leader.

This is while media reports have given rise to speculations that Cairo helped Tel Aviv mislead Hamas officials about Israel's intention to attack the impoverished region.

Citing diplomatic sources, the London-based daily al-Quds al-Arabi reported Sunday that Egyptian Intelligence Minister Omar Suleiman had deceived Hamas into believing that Israel would not launch an attack on the Gaza Strip in the near future.

According to the report, the misinformation prevented Hamas from evacuating its security compounds and headquarters.

Meanwhile on Sunday, the UN Security Council failed to pass a resolution demanding an end to the Israeli attacks, as the United States vetoed the motion, which was requested by members of the United Nations.

Since 1972, Tel Aviv's staunch ally the United States, has vetoed over 40 resolutions the council has tried to pass against the Israeli regime.