US isolated over Lebanon crisis

The US, holding the line against a quick ceasefire deal in the Middle East, is increasingly isolated as world powers and the United Nations demand an immediate end to fighting between Israel and Hezbollah militants.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was meeting last night with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who earlier in the day denounced both Israel and Hezbollah and called for both sides to stop fighting immediately.

“He was talking about a cessation of violence in the context of a lasting, durable solution, which is exactly what we have been talking about,” said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack.

The Bush administration is playing down expectations for Rice’s upcoming trip to the Mideast, saying she will not shuttle among capitals to broker a deal.

“You’re not going to see a return to the kind of diplomacy, I think, that we’ve seen before where you try to negotiate an end to the violence that leaves the parties in place and where you have status quo,” McCormack said.

Administration officials also questioned whether a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah is even feasible.

“We’d love to have a ceasefire,” White House spokesman Tony Snow said. “But Hezbollah has to be part of it. And at this point, there’s no indication that Hezbollah intends to lay down arms.”

John Bolton, the US ambassador to the UN, said it was time for the Security Council to start considering a response, but he, too, ruled out a ceasefire.

“I think it’s a very fundamental question how a terrorist group agrees to a ceasefire,” Bolton said. “How do you hold a terrorist group accountable? Who runs the terrorist group? Who makes the commitments that the terrorist group will abide by a cease-fire? What does a terrorist group think a ceasefire is?”

The Bush administration has repeatedly said that a temporary or quickly negotiated ceasefire would leave Hezbollah able to regroup and rearm after more than a week of Israeli missile attacks.

Israel, and Washington as its closest ally, insist that any settlement must deal with the underlying threat posed to Israel by Hezbollah’s control of southern Lebanon. The Bush administration is trying to hold off international pressure for as long as possible, while also asking Israel to consider the consequences of its actions for civilians.

More than 300 people have died in Lebanon, most of them civilians, since Israel began retaliatory rocket attacks after Hezbollah abducted two Israeli soldiers last week.

Congress voted 410-8 yesterday to support Israel in its confrontation with Hezbollah guerrillas. The resolution also condemns enemies of the Jewish state.

Majority leader John Boehner cited Israel’s “unique relationship” with the US as a reason for his colleagues to go on record swiftly supporting Israel in the latest flare-up of violence in the Mideast.

Little of the political divisiveness in Congress on other national security issues was evident as lawmakers embraced the Bush administration’s position.

So strong was the momentum for the resolution that it was steamrolling efforts by a small group of members who argued that Congress’ pro-Israel stance goes too far.

The non-binding resolution is similar to one the Senate passed on Tuesday. It harshly condemns Israel’s enemies and says Syria and Iran should be held accountable for providing Hezbollah with money and missile technology used to attack Israel.

Speaker Dennis Hastert announced he was sending a bipartisan congressional delegation to Israel this weekend to assess the situation. Hastert said the delegation, led by Intelligence Committee Chairman Pete Hoekstra “will send a clear message that we stand by our ally Israel in the fight against terrorism”.