International community piles pressure on Israel

[Violet_Crumble]

UNITED NATIONS (AFP) — The international community piled pressure on Israel to halt its offensive in the Gaza Strip on Monday, as raids on the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas entered their third day.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon added his voice to the 15-member Security Council's call for an immediate end to hostilities and urged Israel to allow humanitarian aid into the poverty-stricken territory.

"He deplores that violence is continuing today, and he strongly urges once again an immediate stop to all acts of violence," which has already left more than 300 people dead, his spokeswoman Michele Montas said in a statement.

The Security Council earlier issued a non-binding statement calling for "an immediate halt to all violence" in the Gaza Strip and urged the parties "to stop immediately all military activities."

As Israeli air strikes continued and with tanks massed on the border for a possible land offensive, China called for a halt to the military operation.

"The Chinese side is shocked and seriously concerned over the current military operations in Gaza that have caused a large number of deaths and injuries," Vice Premier Li Keqiang said in a statement.

He called on the Israelis and Hamas to work towards peace, saying both sides "need to resolve differences through dialogue."

Demonstrators in cities around the world marched Sunday in protest against the air strikes, which have wounded more than 600 people.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g6RDhmzLarIC6mdw_1Cef6z2bjnA

fwiw, there was a protest in Sydney today...

[azurnoir]

1. As long as the condemnation of Israel is confined

to non-binding statements and protests Israel will do what it has always done ignore them. I am also sad to say that it may take foreign powers inflicting additional financial pain on the US who as of right now smiles and pats Israel on the head no matter what it does, to accomplish this end; hopefully our incoming PE has more wisdom, time for tough love is long over due.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

2. Concur, it will be limited to diplo-speak and nothing will come of it

The only practical way to stop Israeli attacks in the short term is first and foremost is not to attack them, grab their troops etc. If Hamas had not done that, more of their members would still be alive and their facilities intact.

The second thing to do is to refuse to continue to be the disposable tools and proxies of the Arab and Muslim nations bring heavy weapons to Gaza instead of food, fuel, and medicine.