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"The Zionist regime, in response to the legitimate demand of the Palestinian people...has intensified its policy of massacre and destruction of farms and pastures and razing houses," he said, adding "this has led to the homelessness of more Palestinians in their original land in the cold winter."
Asefi asked international human rights organizations to take "serious actions in order to prevent the trampling of Palestinian rights." He also asked the Islamic and Arab countries to take a tougher line against the atrocities of the Israeli regime in the occupied Palestinian lands.
"In this sensitive juncture in which the shelterless Palestinian people have come under oppression, the Islamic and Arab countries are expected to take a firmer stance against the crimes of the Zionist regime," he added.
The Iranian official said that the racist Israeli regime was intending to subjugate Palestinian to forced immigration in order to expand construction of Israeli towns in the Palestinian lands. These steps are in line with the Zionist regime's policies to "judaize al-Qods and Palestine," Asefi said.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was cited as saying that 93 families, or about 600 people, were made homeless by the destruction of houses in Rafah refugee camp on Thursday.
The bulldozing of the homes came under a strong condemnation of the world community with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan denouncing them as "a collective punishment."
The Israeli Army, beside the homes, levelled the runway at the Gaza International Airport, said to be a symbol of Palestinian aspirations to statehood.
Tehran believes a durable peace in the occupied lands is achievable only once Palestinians are given the right to determine their fate through a democratic referendum, all the occupied lands are restored and Palestinian refugees return to their homes.
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