Blair Finds Backbone? Condi Changes Tune? Not!

[Laura]

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3280755,00.html

Blair: Situation in Lebanon a catastrophe

British prime minister speaks during meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, who is visiting London. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice holds series of meetings in Beirut, says she is very concerned over Lebanese people's conditions


British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Monday afternoon defined what is taking place in Lebanon as a "catastrophe." According to Blair, the situation is harming the state and weakening democracy.

He said he hoped a peace plan for Lebanon can emerge within days that could lead to a cessation of
hostilities, but said details need to be worked out for an international force before a ceasefire could be declared that would hold on both sides.

"I don't want the killing to go on. I want the killing to stop. Now. It's got to stop on both sides and it's not going to stop on both sides without a plan to make it stop," Blair said.

Blair spoke during a press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, who is visiting London, while US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Lebanon for a surprise visit.

Rice is visiting Lebanon and will arrive in Israel as part of international efforts to find a diplomatic solution for the crisis between Israel and Hizbullah. Upon the landing of her helicopter in Beirut, Rice rushed to meet with Lebanese Prime Minister Foud Siniora.

"Thank you for your courage and steadfastness," she told Siniora, who has repeatedly pleaded for an immediate ceasefire.

'Concerned about humanitarian situation'

She later met with Shiite Muslim Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who is affiliated with Hizbullah and Syria. At the start of the meeting she said: "I am deeply concerned about the Lebanese people and what they are enduring."

"I am concerned about the humanitarian situation," she said, without giving details of any American assistance.

An American source noted that the aim of the surprise visit by the secretary of state is to support the Lebanese government. The source added that during the visit, Rice will declare the American government's plan to provide assistance to Lebanon.

Later Monday, Rice is expected to land in Israel. In her visit, the US secretary of state will meet with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Later in the week, Rice is expected to attend an international conference in Rome, where she will discuss the Lebanese issue.

On her way to the region, Rice said she wanted to create conditions for a sustainable ceasefire in a war that has cost 373 dead in Lebanon and at least 37 Israeli lives in 13 days.

Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak on Monday also called for an immediate ceasefire in Israel's military campaign against Hizbullah in Lebanon, saying a longer term solution could be worked out later.

In a statement carried by the nation's Middle East News Agency, Mubarak also warned that the onslaught could cause "a humanitarian catastrophe."

"The situation is very grave and needs an urgent action to reach a cease-fire and put an end to hostilities," Mubarak said. "After the cease fire we can deal with all issues causing the current problem."

 

[Laura]

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1153291980474&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Jul. 23, 2006 22:35 | Updated Jul. 24, 2006 19:00
Palestinians: 'Day of rage' against Rice visit
By KHALED ABU TOAMEH

Palestinians are calling for a general strike in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to protest US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit to the region scheduled for later this week, accusing Washington of backing Israel's military campaigns against Hamas and Hizbullah.

Leaflets distributed in the West Bank and Gaza by representatives of several Palestinian factions called for a "day of rage" [a euphemism for violent protests] against Rice's visit. The groups also called on Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to refrain from meeting with Rice.

"We reject Rice's visit to the Middle East and we will expose its real goals," read the leaflets, signed by the National and Islamic Forces in Palestine. "This visit comes in the wake of Israel's US-backed comprehensive aggression against the Palestinians and Lebanese."

The factions accused Israel of waging a war of "genocide" against the Palestinians and Lebanese after receiving a green light from the US administration. They also strongly condemned the US for vetoing a United Nations Security Council resolution that would have condemned Israel for its offensive operations in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories.

The Popular Resistance Committees, an alliance of armed organizations, including Hamas and Fatah, called on Abbas to boycott Rice, saying she was planning to hold separate talks about the situations in Lebanon and in the Palestinian territories.

In a statement issued in the Gaza Strip, the committees claimed that Rice was "plotting" behind the scenes "to isolate Lebanon from Palestine."

The US, the statement continued, wanted to calm the situation in the PA territories to give Israel time to crush Hizbullah.

"We call on President Mahmoud Abbas to respect the feelings of the Palestinian people and to refrain from meeting with Rice and succumbing to her arrogant dictates that will only bring our people more humiliation and suffering," the committees said.

Osama al-Mazini, a Hamas political leader, said Rice's visit was designed to help Israel following its "defeat" in the PA territories and Lebanon.

"The Americans are 120 percent biased in favor of Israel," he said. "That's why Rice is coming to save Israel from defeat and humiliation. The US always intervenes when Israel is in trouble."

Islamic Jihad leader Khaled al-Batsh said the main purpose behind Rice's visit was to ensure the continued support of certain Arab governments for the US. "She's also coming here to provide Israel with political and moral support after the severe blows it suffered at the hands of Hizbullah in Lebanon," he said.

Palestinian political analysts and commentators also lashed out at the US for supporting Israel.

Columnist Imad Afaneh said the US was hoping to punish Syria and Iran through the IDF offensive in Lebanon.

"The Americans want to teach Iran and Syria a lesson for using Hizbullah to undermine US influence in the Middle East," he said. "The Americans and the Israelis are also hoping to defeat the Palestinians by waging a war on Hizbullah in Lebanon.

"The Americans want a new Middle East devoid of jihad, resistance, liberation, martyrdom, retaliation and dignity. These are all terms that disturb the Americans.

"They want to see a Middle East full of Arab presidents, monarchs and princes who serve as slaves for their American masters," Afaneh said.

Abdel Bari Atwan, editor-in-chief of the London-based Al-Quds daily, said Rice wanted a new Middle East without Hamas and Hizbullah, where the Arabs would normalize their relations with Israel and form a joint front against Iran.

"The Americans' problem is that they have never learned from their past mistakes," he said. "They are continuing to rely on the same corrupt and weak horses in the Middle East."