Western leaders remained paralysed on Monday as Lebanon suffered one of its bloodiest days since Israel began its bombardment a week ago.
For the second time in 48 hours Western governments declined to intervene as Israeli forces, on the sixth day of aerial attacks, killed 47 people and wounded at least 53. Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militia, also stepped up its attacks, launching 50 rockets against Israel, the highest number in a single day. The death toll since Israel began its attack has risen to 210 in Lebanon and 29 in Israel.
Ehud Olmert, the Israeli Prime Minister, dismissed hopes of a quick resolution to the conflict on Monday night, vowing his military would continue operating at full intensity. He said Israel would not stop until two of its captured soldiers were freed, the Lebanese army deployed to protect Israel’s northern border and Hezbollah forced to disarm.
He said both Hezbollah and Hamas, the Palestinian group, were working with the support of ”the axis of evil that stretches from Tehran to Damascus. When missiles rain on our cities, our response will be to wage war with greater determination, courage and sacrifice,” he said. ”We don’t seek war or head-on confrontation but if necessary we shall not flinch from them.”
After the failure of the G8 meeting in St Petersburg at the weekend to step in, European Union foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on Monday also settled for a bland joint statement that exposed divisions between European governments.
EU foreign ministers called on Israel not to resort to ”disproportionate action” but criticism of Israel in an original draft was diluted after pressure from Britain and Germany, Israel’s closest EU allies.
In southern Lebanon, an Israeli strike on Monday afternoon on a bridge in the port city of Sidon left 10 civilians dead, including two children. Three Israeli tanks briefly crossed into Lebanon and Israeli Army Radio, quoting a senior officer, said Israel would enforce a 800m ”free-fire” zone to bar Hezbollah from the border.
For the second straight day, Hezbollah rockets landed in the coastal city of Haifa where officials closed the port. A rocket hit and demolished part of a house, leaving two people injured, one seriously. Other rockets reached even further south into Israel, as far as the town of Afula, just above the West Bank.
The British government airlifted 41 Britons stranded in Lebanon and promised to evacuate others by sea if necessary. The United States sent an aircraft carrier in preparation for an evacuation of thousands of its 25 000 citizens in Lebanon.
The US and Britain insisted on Sunday at the G8 summit in St Petersburg that criticism of Israel be removed from a joint communique. Both appear ready to allow Israel a further few days in which to target Hezbollah, after which there will be a ceasefire.
A British foreign office source said: ”Everyone is grappling with this but no one is entirely sure how to deal with it.”
John Bolton, the US ambassador to the UN, insisted that the UN Security Council should delay any action until the UN envoy now in the Middle East, Vijay Nambiar, returns this week to New York. Nambiar said: ”We hope that we will be able to see our way toward … a de-escalation of the crisis.”
British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary General, called on Monday for the 2 000-strong UN observer force on the Israel-Lebanon border to be expanded. Blair said: ”The only way we’re going to get a cessation of hostilities is if we have the deployment of an international force into that area, that can stop the bombardment over into Israel, and therefore give Israel a reason to stop its attacks on Hezbollah.” But the US is lukewarm and Israel described the proposal as premature.
The French Prime Minister, Dominique de Villepin, flew to Beirut, the highest-level international presence since the crisis began. He called on Israel and Hezbollah to implement an immediate ceasefire on humanitarian grounds and for the release of the Israeli soldiers.
The Iranian foreign minister, Manoucher Mottaki, said on Monday that end to the fighting and an exchange of hostages would be acceptable and fair. Iran is the main backer of Hezbollah, which is holding the two Israeli soldiers prisoner. After meeting Syrian officials in Damascus, he said: ”A reasonable and just solution must be found to end this crisis. A ceasefire and then a swap is achievable.”
Exasperation with the international response was expressed on Monday night by Fouad Siniora, the Lebanese Prime Minister. In an interview with Channel 4 News he said: ”Until now I am very disappointed, but I can tell you there is still time to make a real decision in the UN. Stop this massacre that is happening in Lebanon because the more they inflict casualties the worse it becomes.”
In the wind-up of the St Petersburg summit, Bush and Blair blamed Iran and Syria for encouraging Hezbollah. In a private conversation picked up by a microphone, the two men singled out Bashir Assad, the Syrian President, as the figure stoking violence in the Palestinian territories and Iraq as well as in Lebanon. They claimed that Assad was trying to destabilise the region and block the introduction of democracy.
Parts of the conversation were almost inaudible but a senior British diplomat confirmed that the two leaders had identified Assad as the prime culprit and described him sarcastically as a real sweetie and honey.
Majority of Israelis support invasion
A vast majority of Israelis support the country’s offensive in Lebanon aimed at crippling Hezbollah and many also believe the guerrilla group’s leader should be assassinated, a poll showed on Tuesday.
The survey in the mass circulation Yedioth Ahronoth daily showed 86% of Israelis believed the army’s attacks on Lebanon were justified.
It said 58% of Israelis believed the offensive should continue until the army killed Hizbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. Only 17% said Israel should stop fighting and start negotiations.
The survey gave Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert high marks for his leadership, saying 78% believed his handling of the crisis was good or very good.
Even defence minister Amir Peretz, a former trade union chief with little government experience who had previously been under heavy criticism for his performance, was praised. About 72% said his handling of the campaign was good or very good. – Reuters, Guardian Unlimited Â