Assad: "Israel" should be officially branded terrorist state

Source: Press TV, 19-01-2009

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says that Arab countries should declare "Israel" a terrorist state in the wake of its three-week-old onslaught on Gaza.
"I call on the Arab summit to officially declare ‘Israel' as a terrorist state for the crime it commited in Gaza," Assad told an Arab summit in Kuwait on Monday.
 
"Arabs should declare an unequivocal support for the Palestinian resistance," he added.
"Israel" launched its military campaign on Dec. 27 to destroy the capability of Hamas to fire rockets at "Israeli" towns. "Israeli" officials, however, enforced a unilateral truce, halting the military operation on Sunday, after failing to achieve their goals. Hamas also announced a ceasefire, giving "Israeli" troops one week to leave Gaza before a permanent ceasefire could be discussed.

"Ceasefire does not mean the end of aggression as the invading forces are still in Gaza," Assad said.
Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah opened the summit with a call for collective Arab measures setting out practical steps to stabilize the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
At least 1,300 Palestinians were killed during the offensive, while some 5,400 others were wounded.