US expresses sorrow over airstrike victims

The Bush administration today urged Israelis to avoid civilian casualties in the fighting in Lebanon and expressed sorrow about the deaths of at least 56 civilians in a village in southern Lebanon.

But White House spokesman Blair Jones reaffirmed the administration’s insistence on reaching a sustainable ceasefire.

“We extend our condolences to the families of the Qana victims and to all the people of Lebanon,” Jones said.

”This was a terrible and tragic incident. 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.”

He noted Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is “in the region now to arrange conditions that would permit a sustainable cessation of violence as soon as possible”.

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.

Under-secretary of State Nicholas Burns expressed optimism despite the Israeli missile attack that killed at least 56 people, most of them children, in Qana southern Lebanon village. After the strike, Rice cancelled a visit to meet with Lebanon’s prime minister and, according to a US official, decided to meet with the Israeli prime minister before leaving Jerusalem and returning to Washington tomorrow.

Burns said the US was committed to securing a ceasefire between Israelis and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, focusing on a multinational force in the region.

“This is a very sad day. We are working toward that ceasefire,” 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 two and a half weeks for Hezbollah from a military point of view, and they’ve got to be worried about continued Israeli offensive operations.”

The administration has insisted that any ceasefire come with conditions to address long-standing regional disputes, including the insistence by Israel that Hezbollah be disarmed – something the Lebanese government has been unable to do.

“We want to avoid a situation where we essentially put a Band-Aid on something,” Burns said. “We have to have a view of a sustainable ceasefire. We have to make sure Hezbollah is not allowed to be in a position to strike again.”

The fighting was triggered by Hezbollah’s cross-border raid from Lebanon into Israel and the capture of two Israeli soldiers.

President George W Bush has said Israel has a right to defend itself and that “every nation must defend herself against terrorist attacks and the killing of innocent life”.

Burns did not deviate from that position, saying: ”The US believes, and all countries believe, that Israel has a right to self-defence. Israel was attacked two weeks ago. It was Hezbollah who started this and crossed the blue-line.”

He said the US is trying to use its influence to complete the political framework for a deal, get humanitarian assistance into southern Lebanon and work at the United Nations for an international force.

Burns appeared on ABC’s “This Week” and “Fox News Sunday".