RECOMMENDED READING AND ANALYSIS

RECOMMENDED READING AND ANALYSIS (as collected by HonestReporting.com)

The Washington Times calls for Israel to be given time to complete its mission: "time to root out the weapons caches stockpiled in private homes; time to hit the rocket and missile-launching sites and terrorist training camps Hezbollah has established throughout Lebanon; and time to hunt down the jihadists in the Bekaa Valley and elsewhere whose life's work is to destroy the Jewish state."

The editorial continues: "It is no exaggeration to say that, if Hezbollah is severely weakened, the biggest long-term beneficiaries will be the great majority of Lebanese -- Muslim and Christian alike -- who have seen their nation dragged into a war with Israel which they want no part of in order to serve the malevolent purposes of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Syrian President Bashar Assad.

The LA Times places the blame squarely on Hezbollah: "MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT: Responsibility for the escalating carnage in Lebanon and northern Israel lies with one side, and one side only. And that is Hezbollah, the Islamist militant party, along with its Syrian and Iranian backers. Reasonable minds can differ on the strategic wisdom of the Israeli response, but there can be no doubt about the blame for the mounting death toll on both sides of the border."

A number of UK newspapers have called for action against Iran, including the Daily Telegraph and Dore Gold, who argue that "Teheran is sponsoring terrorist movements on Israel's borders as part of its wider strategy of regional encirclement. As long as the mullahs go unchecked, neither Israel, nor Palestine, nor Lebanon will be secure."

This sentiment is echoed by Anton La Guardia in the Daily Telegraph who notes that "Lebanon has become the battleground between pro-western and radical Islamic forces. Few governments, even Arab states, want to see Hizbollah win the contest" , while the Times of London calls for international action to help Lebanon evict Hezbollah. In the same paper, Tim Hames states that "In the dreadful circumstances, Mr Olmert has been "proportionate" and "balanced", as is acknowledged by the United States and Britain and, privately, officials in Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia."

The Australian declares: "If there was ever any doubt that Israel's response to Hezbollah's hail of rockets was proportionate to the threat they pose to Israeli security, it has been dispelled by attacks launched from southern Lebanon deep into Israel."

• Give Israel time to complete the mission, Editorial, The Washington Times

• Response and responsibility, Editorial, LA Times

• Israel's response is self-defence, Editorial, The Australian

• The ayatollahs are the real enemies of Israel, Editorial, Daily Telegraph

• Iran plans to dominate the Middle East, Dore Gold, Daily Telegraph

• Israel fights West's cause against radical Islam, Anton La Guardia, Daily Telegraph

• More than words, Editorial, The Times

• The Middle East isn't on the brink of war. It's on the brink of catastrophe, Tim Hames, The Times