Robinson accuses US of prolonging Middle East conflict

Former UN Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson has accused America of prolonging the latest Middle East conflict.

The Irish ex-President has said if the US had pressurised Israel to end its bombing of Lebanon, the war with Hizbollah would have stopped sooner.

She has criticised the Islamic group for sparking the violence by kidnapping two Israeli soldiers, but says the root cause of the problem stems from Israel's occupations.