Iranians hold anti-Israel demonstration

Iranians hold an anti-Israel demonstration to show support for the Palestinian people in Tehran on Dec. 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Liang Youchang) Photo Gallery>>>

Iranians hold an anti-Israel demonstration to show support for the Palestinian people in Tehran on Dec. 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Liang Youchang) Photo Gallery>>>

Egyptians hold anti-Israel demonstration

Egyptians hold an anti-Israel demonstration to show support for the Palestinian people, in Cairo Dec. 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Wissam Nassar) Photo Gallery>>>

Egyptians hold an anti-Israel demonstration to show support for the Palestinian people, in Cairo Dec. 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Wissam Nassar) Photo Gallery>>>

Indonesian people hold anti-Israel demonstration

Indonesian people hold an anti-Israel demonstration to show support for the Palestinian people in Jakarta, capital of Indonesia, on Dec. 30, 2008. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei) Photo Gallery>>>

Indonesian people hold an anti-Israel demonstration to show support for the Palestinian people in Jakarta, capital of Indonesia, on Dec. 30, 2008. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei) Photo Gallery>>>

Indonesian people hold an anti-Israel demonstration to show support for the Palestinian people in Jakarta, capital of Indonesia, on Dec. 30, 2008. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei) Photo Gallery>>>

Syrian president calls for halt of Israeli "massacres" of Palestinians

    DAMASCUS, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad underlined the necessity on Tuesday to halt the Israeli "massacres" of unarmed Palestinian people, the official SANA news agency reported.

    Assad made the remarks while meeting visiting U.S. Republican Senator Arlen Specter during which the two sides discussed the situation in the Middle East, particularly in the occupied Palestinian territories. Full story

Egyptian president urges immediate end of Israeli raids on Gaza

    CAIRO, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Tuesday called for an immediate stop of the ongoing Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip that have killed some 369 Palestinians since Saturday.

    Mubarak made his call in a televised speech on the occasion of the Islamic Hijri (New Year) and the Christian Gregorian new year. Full story

Thousands in Jordan protest Israel's raids against Gaza

    AMMAN, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of people on Monday took to the streets in Jordan's capital of Amman to protest Israel's raids against the Gaza Strip.

    The protestors, led by trade union and syndicate leaders, called on the Jordanian government to cease the peace treaty with Israel in protest against the Jewish state's "heinous and savage aggression" on Gaza.  Full story

Palestinian death toll continues increase in Gaza airstrikes

    GAZA, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- Palestinians death toll has risen to 345 killed and over 1,600 wounded in the on-going Israeli warplanes intensified airstrikes on Monday evening.   Full story 

"Free Gaza" ship to send emergency aid to Gaza

    GAZA BORDER, Israel, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- International rights activists will sail with a "Free Gaza Movement" ship to make a "symbolic" attempt to cross the border into the Gaza Strip on an emergency mission to help ease the suffering of the Palestinians in the coastal area, according to a coordinator of the movement on Monday.

    The coordinator, Caiomhe Butterly, told Xinhua on phone that the activists including some doctors and journalists had boarded the ship at the Cypriot port of Larnaca late Monday afternoon.   Full story

Israeli strikes on Gaza, Arab emergency meeting high on agenda of GCC summit

    MUSCAT, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- Israeli raids on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip and preparation for an emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Cairo are high on the agenda of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) meeting scheduled later Monday.

    Leaders of the six GCC members will convene at the 29th annual summit in the Omani capital of Muscat to discuss core regional security issues and economic integration among the bloc, which groups six Gulf Arab states --Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman, Qatar and Bahrain. Full story

UN chief: Continued violence in and around Gaza "unacceptable"

    UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- UN Chief Ban Ki-moon said on Monday that he was deeply alarmed by the current escalation of violence in and around Gaza, and that such continued violence is "unacceptable."

    "I have been repeatedly condemning the rocket attacks by Hamas militants against Israel. While recognizing Israel's right to defend itself, I have also condemned the excessive use of force by Israel in Gaza," Ban told a press conference at UN Headquarters. Full story

Jordan urges U.S. to stop Israel's offensive against Gaza

    AMMAN, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) --Jordan on Monday urged the U.S. to mount an international effort to stop Israel's raids against the Gaza Strip, according to a statement from the Royal Hashemite Court.

    The appeal was made by Jordan's king Abdullah II in a phone call with U.S. President George W. Bush on Monday. Full story