Israel Saw UN Security Council Delay As 'Green Light': Egypt
Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit in the statement called on the Security Council to assume responsibility for stopping what he called Israel's "killings and destruction" in Gaza.
Israel sent tanks and infantry into the impoverished Palestinian enclave after dark on Saturday, after eight days of air strikes and naval bombardment killed more than 460 Palestinians. Rockets fired by Gaza militants have killed four Israelis.
Israeli officials have said the ground operations may take days.
The Security Council announced several hours after the ground incursion was launched that it would hold a special meeting on Gaza early Monday morning.
"The Security Council's silence and its failure to make a decision to stop Israel's aggression since it began was interpreted by Israel as a green light," said Abul Gheit.
Arab League chief Amr Mussa had earlier criticized what he said was the Security Council's failure to quickly issue a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and accused it of "ignoring" the crisis.
"The continuation of...the international community and the Security Council ignoring this situation is a very dangerous thing," he told reporters on Saturday at a press conference in the pan-Arab organization's Cairo headquarters.
Analysts say Israeli ground operations in the densely populated coastal strip may sharply increase casualties among both Palestinians and Israelis.
Israel says it is trying to deter the Islamist Hamas movement which controls Gaza from firing rockets into Israel.
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Publié le 03 janvier 2009 Copyright © 2009 Dowjones
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