Hassan Rouhani slams Israel for using 'deadly force' against Palestinians

Hassan Rouhani

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday criticised Israel's use of "deadly force" against Palestinians during the Gaza rallies in which over 60 people were killed, prompting demonstrations in Tehran.

Rouhani made his remarks during a Cabinet meeting while around 400 people gathered outside the former US embassy in central Tehran to protest Monday's killing of Palestinians and the transfer of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Xinhua news agency reported.

"(Israel) is not a regime that is committed to morality and even international rules and regulations, only understanding the language of force," Rouhani said, adding that Israel's actions would make Palestinians more determined to continue resistance.

"Some Islamic countries have simply turned a blind eye to these incidents. Some others have regarded it as (Israel's) self-defence right, while legitimate self-defense belongs to people who own the land, not to those who have taken lands by usurpation," the President said.

Wednesday's demonstrations in Tehran saw protesters chanting slogans and setting fire to the Israeli and US flags, while others held posters of US President Donald Trump with the slogan "Go to hell".

The majority of the international community has condemned Israel's use of lethal force along the Gaza border in which at least 112 Palestinians have been killed and 12,000 injured since March 30.

However, the US blamed the violence on the Islamist movement Hamas, which governs the Gaza strip.

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