TEHRAN, June 1, (AFP): Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday called for Israel’s prime minister and defence minister to face trial for the deadly raid on a Gaza aid flotilla in the eastern Mediterranean.
The United States, Britain and France must also be held accountable for Monday’s Israeli raid on the aid ships, said Khamenei, who is all-powerful in the Islamic republic.
“The Arab League and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference must not be satisfied with anything less than a full lifting of the Gaza blockade,” he said in a statement.
Khamenei also called for “an end to the grabbing of Palestinian land in the West Bank and a trial of criminals such as (Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu and (Defence Minister Ehud) Barak.”
He said the “criminal attack ... should have convinced everyone that Zionism is the new and more violent face of fascism which is backed by those states which advocate freedom and human rights, above all the US government.”
Washington, London and Paris should also be held accountable, he said.
“US, Britain, France and other European communities which have politically and financially backed these natural-born criminals should be seriously held accountable,” the cleric said.
In a pre-dawn operation on Monday, Israeli commandos raided the flotilla and at least nine pro-Palestinian activists were killed in ensuing clashes, according to the Israeli army.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also lashed out at Israel and said Tehran had precise information that Israel planned to launch a “massive attack” on Gaza in the wake of the deadly raid.
“I warn you that if this time you commit a crime against any place, against Gaza, the storm of regional nations’ fury will uproot you,” he said in a speech in the western city of Ilam.
The hardliner, who has repeatedly angered the international community with his anti-Israeli tirades, also criticised Washington for issuing what he said was a “very weak and biased” response to the raid.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Tuesday that Iran has precise information that Israel plans to launch a “massive attack” on Gaza in the wake of its deadly raid on an aid flotilla.
“We have precise information it has planned a massive attack against Gaza to make up for its past defeats,” Ahmadinejad said in a public speech in the western Iranian city of Ilam that was broadcast live on state television.
“I warn you that if this time you commit a crime against any place, against Gaza, the storm of regional nations’ fury will uproot you,” he said.
The hardliner, who has repeatedly infuriated the world by his anti-Israeli tirades, also lashed out at countries which he said “backed the Zionist regime.”
“This time if you back the crimes of the Zionist regime, the anger of regional nations ... will not just be limited to the borders of Palestine, but will also put on trial you and those who are accomplices in the crime,” he said to cheering crowds.
Ahmadinejad criticised Washington for adopting a “weak stance” against Israel for its deadly raid on the Gaza aid flotilla.
“The US government has adopted a very weak and biased position. Instead of condemning, it has spoken vaguely and sought to evade taking a stance,” he said, while some European countries had adopted a “good” stand.
On Monday, Israeli commandos raided an aid flotilla in international waters of the Mediterranean headed to Gaza that left at least nine pro-Palestinian activists dead, according to the Israeli army.
The attack on the flotilla has triggered a fresh wave of tirades from Ahmadinejad against Israel.
The animosity between the Islamic republic and the Jewish state has worsened under Ahmadinejad, who has repeatedly said Tehran’s arch-foe is “doomed to be wiped off the map.”
Israel, for its part, has consistently demanded strong action against Iran for pursuing its controversial nuclear programme and has not ruled out a military strike.