PARIS (AFP)--France condemned Saturday Israel's decision to send ground forces into the Gaza Strip, while the U.K. called for an immediate ceasefire.
In Madrid, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos called Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas to express his "solidarity and support" after Israel launched the offensive into Gaza, a foreign ministry spokesman said.
"France condemns the Israeli ground offensive against Gaza just as it condemns the continuing firing of rockets," Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said in a statement.
"This dangerous military escalation complicates the efforts undertaken by the international community, in particular the European Union and France, the members of the Quartet, and the states in the region to stop the fighting, bring immediate aid to civilians and find a permanent ceasefire," he added.
In London, Foreign Secretary David Miliband said Israel's ground offensive into Gaza shows the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire, warning the military escalation will cause "alarm and dismay."
"Unfolding events show the urgent need for the immediate ceasefire that we have called for. The escalation of the conflict will cause alarm and dismay," Miliband said in a statement.
"Intensive diplomatic efforts to find a solution continue," he said, citing a visit by European Union foreign ministers and French President Nicolas Sarkozy to the region on Sunday and Monday, respectively.
Miliband said he and Prime Minister Gordon Brown "remain in very close contact with our E.U., U.S. and Middle Eastern colleagues."
"We are determined to work as quickly as possible for a durable ceasefire which must include an end to the smuggling of arms into Gaza and the opening of the Gaza crossings," he said.
"The U.K. believes that the crisis in the Middle East matters to the whole world.
"The only sustainable basis for delivering security and justice for Israelis and Palestinians is the vision of two states living in peace side by side, supported by the rest of the region."
Israeli tanks rolled into Gaza on Saturday and engaged in night-time battles with Hamas forces after more than a week of air strikes that left hundreds of Palestinians dead and widespread destruction.
Click here to go to Dow Jones NewsPlus, a web front page of today's most important business and market news, analysis and commentary: http://www.djnewsplus.com/access/al?rnd=99Qg%2BCjSiFcScWejKNf%2FAg%3D%3D. You can use this link on the day this article is published and the following day.

Publié le 03 janvier 2009 Copyright © 2009 Dowjones