Abul Gheit lashes out at Israel

"Egypt and Syria were not the aggressors during the glorious October War that was staged against Israel 30 years ago," Egypt's Ambassador to the UN Ahmed Abul Gheit said.

Abul Gheit was responding to a statement given by Israel's permanent delegate to the UN before the emergency session held by the UN Security Council Sunday to discuss the Israeli attack on Syrian territory Saturday night.

During his statement, the Israeli delegate had drawn a comparison between Saturday's Israeli aggression on Syria and the October War.

"It must always be remembered that Egypt fought the October War to liberate its national soil from Israeli occupation," he said.

"Egypt's fight was legitimate, it was just practicing its natural right to self-defence and all its actions ran in accordance with the UN Charter," he stressed.

Denouncing the Israeli attack on Syria, he said that the international community should shoulder its responsibilities and take a firm stance to prevent the repetition of such acts of hostility that only add to the misery and wretchedness of the peoples of the region.