Scorched earth policy for Gaza

Sat, 17 Jan 2009 22:02:03 GMT | PressTV

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi says Israel is pursuing a scorched earth policy in the Gaza Strip after it failed to achieve its military goals.

“Military analysts confirmed that Tel Aviv has failed to achieve its military goals. If Israeli attacks were stipulated to break Hamas and destroy its missile launchers, they have then failed to reach these objectives in practice,” Qashqavi stated in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, where he is on a week-long visit.

The senior Iranian official added, “The Zionist regime is pursuing a scorched earth policy now that they have reached a military deadlock in the Gaza Strip.” Qashqavi meanwhile noted that it looks as if Israel would heed international demands for halting the raid on the Gazans sometime this week, and accept a ceasefire proposed by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip have been described as 'a war crime' and a 'genocide' that require immediate action from the international community and its institutions. Israel has been targeting the coastal region by dropping white phosphorous as resistance fighters have prevented Israeli forces from advancing into the enclave. White phosphorus, classified as 'chemical weapon' by US intelligence, is an inflammable material that causes horrific burns, severe injuries or even death when it comes in contact with human skin.

Under the Geneva Treaty of 1980, the use of white phosphorous as a weapon is prohibited.

Since Israel unleashed its air and sea campaign against Gaza on December 27, at least 1,215 Palestinians have lost their lives and more than 6,000 others - most of whom are civilians - have been injured. Israel initially claimed that the military campaign was aimed at halting rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip, however, Israeli deputy prime minister Haim Ramon later revealed that the main goal of the attacks is to topple the democratically-elected Hamas government, which took over the coastal sliver in mid-June 2007.