BEIRUT, July 24: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice flew to Lebanon on Monday and insisted Hezbollah must release two Israeli soldiers and pull back from the border before any ceasefire, Lebanese politicians said.
Rice extended sympathy to the government in Beirut, a city pounded repeatedly by Israeli air strikes since the 13 days, but offered little hope for an immediate end to the conflict.
“Thank you for your courage and steadfastness,” she told Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, who has pleaded for an immediate ceasefire.
But Rice later told Shia Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who is an ally of Hezbollah and is also close to Syria, that “the situation on the border cannot return to what it was before July 12,” a Lebanese political source said.
Rice was referring to the day Hezbollah captured the two Israeli soldiers. The source quoted her as saying there would be no ceasefire before Hezbollah freed the pair unconditionally and pulled its forces back about 20km from the border.
Israel, where Rice arrived later on Monday, has set identical conditions for an end to fighting that has cost 377 dead in Lebanon and at least 39 Israeli lives in 13 days.
“The tone of the meeting was very negative,” the Lebanese source said.
Another source said Rice had also proposed deployment of the Lebanese army on the border, backed by an international force.
Shortly after she left Lebanon, the White House reiterated its opposition to an immediate ceasefire.
“I think the notion that you have a ceasefire at this point is unenforceable and does not really get us to the point we need to be at,” White House spokesman Tony Snow said.
Snow also told reporters that Rice would announce a “significant US commitment in terms of humanitarian aid” to the Lebanese people caught up in the conflict.
CONCERNED: “I am deeply concerned about the Lebanese people and what they are enduring,” Rice told reporters before meeting Berri.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said earlier he hoped a peace plan would emerge in days that could lead to a ceasefire.
Siniora told Rice that the Israeli bombing had displaced 750,000 people in Lebanon, almost one-fifth of the population, and inflicted multi-billion dollar losses to the economy, a statement from his office said.
Jan Egeland, the UN emergency relief coordinator, said this was “the hour of greatest need for the Lebanese people” as he launched a UN appeal for $150 million in aid.
Hezbollah said it had shot down an Israeli helicopter and hit five tanks, inflicting casualties in fierce battles that erupted after Israeli forces pushed north from a border village.
Arab television channels said four Israeli soldiers had been killed. Israel’s army said two airmen died in the helicopter crash, which it said was probably caused by a technical fault.
The tank thrust towards Bint Jbeil, about 4 km (2.5 miles) inside Lebanon, was one of several recent Israeli forays in search of Hezbollah fighters and rocket-launchers.—Reuters
