BUSH, RICE SHOW SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL

U.S. Supports Israel's Campaign - Jim Rutenberg
The Bush administration on Sunday appeared to give Israel tacit approval to cripple Hizballah, casting the widening conflict in the Middle East in terms of a wider war on terrorism. That was a central theme of both public and private statements from senior U.S. officials as they tried their best to minimize differences with European nations and their Russian hosts at the opening of the annual meeting of the Group of 8 industrialized nations. (New York Times)

See also Bush Counting on Israel to Quash Influence of Islamic Militants
The U.S. is banking on Israel achieving in Lebanon what years of diplomacy and conflict have so far failed to do: limit the ability of Syria and Iran to use Islamic radicals to undermine regional stability. President Bush and Secretary of State Rice have signaled that Israel largely has a free hand in attacking the militant group Hizballah in Lebanon. They have declined to set limits on Israeli action, and Rice says she won't engage in personal diplomacy until there is a clear path toward ending the extremist threat. (Bloomberg)

Rice: Israel May Need to Prolong Offensive - Brian Knowlton
Israel may need to prolong its offensive in Lebanon to further reduce the threat from Hizballah, Secretary of State Rice said on Sunday. Rice appeared to support a longer-term Israeli effort to inflict decisive damage to Hizballah's presence in Lebanon. She also said she was considering a trip to the region. "A cessation of violence is crucial, but if that cessation of violence is hostage to Hizballah's next decision to launch missiles into Israel or Hamas' next decision to abduct an Israeli citizen, then we will have gotten nowhere," she said. (New York Times)

See also Rice Says No Ceasefire with Armed Hizballah - Paula Wolfson
Secretary of State Rice says she wants to see a sustainable ceasefire in the Middle East, but peace will not come as long as Hizballah remains an armed threat to Israel. She says a ceasefire that does not address the root causes will not hold, and that any ceasefire that leaves Hizballah with the ability to launch rocket attacks on Israel and opens the door to Iranian and Syrian interference will accomplish little. "And we will be right back here, perhaps, in a worse circumstance, because the terrorists will assume that nobody is willing to take on what has been a very clear assault, now, on the progress that is being made by moderate forces in the Middle East." (Voice of America)

See also Rice Defends Israel
Rice, in Russia, defended Israel's attacks in Lebanon. "No state is going to sit and allow rockets to be fired into its country and not defend its citizens," she said of Israel. (UPI/Washington Times)