This article is from the source 'independent' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iran-supreme-leader-calls-israel-a-rabid-dog-for-gaza-attacks-and-urges-arms-for-palestinians-9634392.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Iran supreme leader calls Israel a 'rabid dog' for Gaza attacks and urges arms for Palestinians Iran supreme leader calls Israel a 'rabid dog' for Gaza attacks and urges arms for Palestinians
(about 3 hours later)
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday called Israel a "rabid dog" for its attacks on Gaza, and urged Muslims to arm Palestinians to enable them to counter what he termed genocide. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has condemned Israel as a "rabid dog" for its bombardment of Gaza, and called on Muslims to arm Palestinians to enable them to counter what he described as "genocide".
About 1,087 Gazans, most of them civilians, have been killed in 22 days of fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip. As well as 53 Israeli soldiers killed, three civilians have died as a result of Palestinian shelling. In a speech marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, Mr Khamenei criticised the United States and European countries for what he claimed were their efforts to limit the military capacity of Palestinian fighters as the conflict between Israel and Hamas raged for a 22nd day.
In a speech marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, Khamenei criticised the United States and European countries for what he said were their efforts to limit the military capacity of Palestinian fighters in the enclave. His speech was delivered to a crowd of hundreds of thousands in Tehran and was broadcast live on state television. It came as the home of Hamas Gaza leader Ismail Haniyeh was among at least 60 locations targeted overnight by airstrikes in the heaviest bombardment of Gaza during three weeks of fighting.
About 1,100 Gazans, most of them civilians, have been killed during the conflict. Fifty-three Israeli soldiers and three civilians have died as a result of Palestinian shelling.
Of Israel, he said: "This rabid dog, this rapacious wolf, has attacked innocent people and humanity must show a reaction. This is genocide, a catastrophe of historical scale."Of Israel, he said: "This rabid dog, this rapacious wolf, has attacked innocent people and humanity must show a reaction. This is genocide, a catastrophe of historical scale."
Mr Khamenei denounced what he claimed was a ruling by the US President Barack Obama to disarm Palestinians - an apparent reference to US opposition to efforts by Hamas to obtain weapons such as missiles and rockets. Washington views Hamas as a terrorist organisation.
"They have been pounding innocent people day and night and these men women and children are defending themselves with minimum means, and now Americans and Europeans want to take even that away ... so that those merciless beasts could pound without qualm.""They have been pounding innocent people day and night and these men women and children are defending themselves with minimum means, and now Americans and Europeans want to take even that away ... so that those merciless beasts could pound without qualm."
Khamenei denounced what he said was a ruling by U.S. President Barack Obama to disarm Palestinians - an apparent reference to U.S. opposition to efforts by Hamas, the Islamist group that controls Gaza, to obtain weapons such as missiles and rockets. Washington views Hamas as a terrorist organisation. Mr Khamenei said Iran took the opposite stance about arming Palestinians.
Khamenei said Iran took the opposite view about arming Palestinians.
"Everyone, whoever has the means, especially in the Islamic world, they should do what they can to arm the Palestinian nation ... the Zionist regime deeply regrets starting this (war) but has no way out.""Everyone, whoever has the means, especially in the Islamic world, they should do what they can to arm the Palestinian nation ... the Zionist regime deeply regrets starting this (war) but has no way out."
Israel launched its offensive on July 8 with the aim of halting rocket attacks by Hamas and its allies. It later ordered a land invasion to find and destroy the warren of Hamas tunnels that criss-crosses the border area. Israel began its offensive on 8 July with the stated aim of ending rocket attacks by Hamas and its allies and protecting its civilians. 
Tehran is at loggerheads with Western powers on a range of foreign policy issues including its nuclear programme and its support for Hamas, Syria's President Bashar al-Assad and the Lebanese Shi'ite militant movement Hezbollah. It has since launched a ground invasion to locate and destroy the network of Hamas tunnels. On Monday evening, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned of a protracted military campaign that would continue until Hamas tunnels have been destroyed.
Khamenei's speech to a crowd of hundreds of thousands in Tehran was broadcast live on state television. Khamenei was accompanied by senior government officials. Additional reporting by Reuters
Reuters