CRI听力:Iraqi PM Condemns IS for Targeting Christians and Israel's Bombardment of Gaza

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is accusing Arab countries and the international community of not reacting strongly enough to the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

"Hundreds of Palestinian people were either killed or wounded in the Gaza Strip and other Palestinian districts, while the world states are witnessing and watching such acts with a reaction which doesn't reach a responsible level."

And at the same time, Maliki has also used a weekly televised address to blast the Sunni extremist group known as the Islamic State for targeting Iraqi Christians.

"The Christians have been exposed to violent acts that have never been witnessed before in Iraq as we live together as brothers. We, Muslims, Christians, Arabs Kurds, Turkmen, Sabians, Yezidis and Shebak, all of us have been living as brothers since ancient times in Iraq."

Thousands of Christians have fled northern Iraq after being given a deadline by the Sunny militants to convert to Islam, pay a tax or face death.

The militants, who control large swaths of northern Iraq and eastern Syria, have been imposing Shariah law in the areas it controls.

The group's leader has declared the region a Caliphate.