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Israel agrees to 48-hour halt in IAF activity over south Lebanon to probe Qana strike
Israel has agreed to suspend its aerial bombardment of southern Lebanon for 48 hours, effective immediately, to allow for an investigation into Sunday's bombing that killed 54 civilians, a U.S. State Department official said early Monday.
Israel will also coordinate with the United Nations to allow a 24-hour window for residents of southern Lebanon to leave the area if they wish, State Department spokesman Adam Ereli told a briefing in Jerusalem.
Some 37 children were among the dead in the IAF strike early Sunday on a building in the southern Lebanon town of Qana, Lebanese police said. Several houses collapsed and a three-story building where about 100 civilians were sheltering was destroyed, witnesses and rescue workers said.
U.S. President George W. Bush on Sunday renewed his call for a "sustainable peace" in the Middle East while his administration urged Israel to avoid civilian casualties in the wake of an airstrike in Lebanon in which at least 54 people were killed.
"Our hope for peace for boys and girls everywhere extends across the world, especially in the Middle East," the president said before the start of a children's baseball game at the White House.
"Today's actions in the Middle East remind us that friends and allies must work together for a sustainable peace particularly for the sake of children," Bush told the teams of youngsters and visitors.
The White House expressed sorrow earlier Sunday at the deaths of dozens of Lebanese people in the strike, and urged Israel to avoid civilian casualties in the fighting in Lebanon.
But the U.S. also reaffirmed the administration's insistence on reaching a sustainable cease-fire.
"The key here is that we want a cease-fire that will work," press secretary Tony Snow told reporters.
Bush was told before 7 A.M. (1100 GMT) about the attack on Qana and had spoken with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who is in Jerusalem.
The administration offered condolences to those killed in the strikes.
"This was a terrible and tragic incident," spokesman Blair Jones said. "We continue to urge the Israeli government to exercise the utmost care so as to avoid any civilian casualties. This tragic incident shows why this is so
critical."
The State Department's third-ranking official reaffirmed the White House's position that Israel has the right to defend itself and contended an agreement was near on ending the fighting that has ravaged Lebanon.
Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns expressed optimism despite the airstrike, saying the U.S. was committed to securing a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah, and focusing on a multinational force in the region.
"This is a very sad day. We are working toward that cease-fire," Burns said. "We are close to a political agreement between Israel and Lebanon to end this fighting."
Yet he endorsed Israel's military objectives, saying "This has not been a good 2 1/2 weeks for Hezbollah from a military point of view, and they've got to be worried about continued Israeli offensive operations."
More
http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/744295.html
Some 37 children were among the dead in the IAF strike early Sunday on a building in the southern Lebanon town of Qana, Lebanese police said. Several houses collapsed and a three-story building where about 100 civilians were sheltering was destroyed, witnesses and rescue workers said.
U.S. President George W. Bush on Sunday renewed his call for a "sustainable peace" in the Middle East while his administration urged Israel to avoid civilian casualties in the wake of an airstrike in Lebanon in which at least 54 people were killed.
"Our hope for peace for boys and girls everywhere extends across the world, especially in the Middle East," the president said before the start of a children's baseball game at the White House.
"Today's actions in the Middle East remind us that friends and allies must work together for a sustainable peace particularly for the sake of children," Bush told the teams of youngsters and visitors.
The White House expressed sorrow earlier Sunday at the deaths of dozens of Lebanese people in the strike, and urged Israel to avoid civilian casualties in the fighting in Lebanon.
But the U.S. also reaffirmed the administration's insistence on reaching a sustainable cease-fire.
"The key here is that we want a cease-fire that will work," press secretary Tony Snow told reporters.
Bush was told before 7 A.M. (1100 GMT) about the attack on Qana and had spoken with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who is in Jerusalem.
The administration offered condolences to those killed in the strikes.
"This was a terrible and tragic incident," spokesman Blair Jones said. "We continue to urge the Israeli government to exercise the utmost care so as to avoid any civilian casualties. This tragic incident shows why this is so
critical."
The State Department's third-ranking official reaffirmed the White House's position that Israel has the right to defend itself and contended an agreement was near on ending the fighting that has ravaged Lebanon.
Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns expressed optimism despite the airstrike, saying the U.S. was committed to securing a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah, and focusing on a multinational force in the region.
"This is a very sad day. We are working toward that cease-fire," Burns said. "We are close to a political agreement between Israel and Lebanon to end this fighting."
Yet he endorsed Israel's military objectives, saying "This has not been a good 2 1/2 weeks for Hezbollah from a military point of view, and they've got to be worried about continued Israeli offensive operations."
More
http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/744295.html
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Spokesman Adam Ereli said the Israelis reserve the right to take action against targets preparing attacks against it during the 48-hour period, but the bombing halt should "significantly speed and improve the flow of humanitarian aid." Israeli officials also agreed to allow safe passage for 24 hours for residents of southern Lebanon to leave the region.
Israel earlier said it mistakenly destroyed a four-story building near a Hezbollah rocket-launching site. The dead included 37 children, according to Lebanese internal security officials.
More
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/07/30/mideast.main/index.html
"Israel has agreed to a 48-hour suspension of aerial activity in south Lebanon, while it investigates today's tragic incident in Qana," spokesman Adam Ereli told reporters just after midnight following talks between Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and top Israeli officials.
Israel would also coordinate with the United Nations on a 24-hour period of "safe passage" for civilians that wish to leave the area, Ereli said.
"Israel has, of course, reserved the right to take action against targets preparing attacks against it," Ereli told reporters travelling with Rice.
"During this time, Israel will coordinate with the United Nations to allow a 24-hour period of safe passage for all residents of south Lebanon who wish to leave," Ereli added.
The suspension of air strikes starts immediately, a senior State Department official later said on condition of anonymity, adding that the 24-hour safe passage could be renewed once it expires.-AFP
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=74384