Iran Warns Israel Not to Launch a Ground Op into the Gaza Strip

Iran warned Israel on Friday not to launch a ground offensive into the Gaza Strip as protests against the Israeli bombardment of the Hamas-run Palestinian territory, now in its seventh day, swept several Mideast capitals.The demonstrations began shortly after Friday prayers in Teheran, Cairo, Amman and Damascus. Similar protests have been held daily across since Israel launched the bombing campaign last Saturday, but these gatherings were larger-mainly because Friday prayers are a traditional opportunity for Muslims to assemble in great numbers.In Teheran, a crowd of about 6,000 stretching for a half-mile (kilometer) marched from prayers at Teheran University to Palestine Square, chanting "Death to Israel" and "Death to America" and burning Israeli flagsThey also carried banners reading: "Don't kill Children" and "Real Holocaust is happening in Gaza," while some vowed to "fight and defend Gaza."Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, one of Iran's most powerful politician-clerics, said in a sermon to several thousand worshipers that an Israeli military defeat in Gaza would be a "scandal" for its government and that, even if the Hamas government there collapses, Palestinian "resistance" will only expand.Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki warned Israel that entering Gaza "by land will be the biggest mistake of the Zionist regime." He vowed Israel would be "defeated" in a ground attack.Iran is a major backer of Hamas, giving it millions of dollars.Israel and the US accuse Iran of providing the Palestinian terrorist group with newer, more sophisticated rockets, but Teheran denies arming the group. In his prayer sermon, Rafsanjani said Hamas had a new anti-tank weapon that it had not used before but would unleash if Israel ground troops move in, but he did not elaborate.US-allied Arab governments like Egypt fear that Hamas and Hizbullah are giving a foothold for Iran. They have been critical of Hamas - which took over Gaza in 2007 in battles with loyalists of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas - and of Syria for backing its allies Iran and Hamas.Pro-US governments have been wary about protests at home over Israel's Gaza assault, which has killed more than 400 Palestinians and sparked outrage among the Arab public. Israel says its offensive aims at silencing Hamas rockets.
By ASSOCIATED PRESS--TEHERAN, Iran
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