Israel ‘exploiting World Cup

A leading hardline Iranian cleric on Friday accused Israel of exploiting international public attention on the World Cup in order to commit “dastardly deeds” in the Gaza Strip.”They are doing dastardly deeds and they are doing it while people are attentively following the events of the World Cup,” Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati said in a sermon at Tehran University.

Iran was knocked out of the football tournament in the first round, and state television has now begun showing film clips of Israeli violence - juxtaposed with happy World Cup spectators - in its ongoing match coverage.

“The security situation there is such that no one and nothing has any safety,” Jannati said of the Gaza Strip, under fierce attack since Palestinian militants captured an Israeli soldier on June 25.

Drawing chants of “Death to America” and “Death to Israel”, Jannati also took a swipe at the Muslim clergy.

“Why are you keeping silent while the atrocities are going on? If you do not protest you are supporting them,” said the ayatollah, who heads Iran’s Guardian Council - a powerful political and electoral watchdog controlled by hardliners.

Tags: World Cup