JUST IN: Rice Cancels Trip to Beirut After Israeli massacre of 50 Lebanese mostly children
By Robin Wright
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, July 30, 2006; 8:34 AM
washingtonpost.com
JERUSALEM, July 30 -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was forced to cancel a trip to Beirut Sunday after an Israeli airstrike killed more than 50 people, mostly women and children, in the southern Lebanese town of Qana in the bloodiest attack since the hostilities began between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah militia. But she did not call for an immediate ceasefire.
At a hastily called news conference, Rice said she was "deeply saddened" by the "terrible loss of life" and insisted the United States was working harder than any party to try to achieve a ceasefire.
Rice said she learned of the attack during a meeting with Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz and reiterated U.S. concern about Israel's attacks on civilian targets -- a common refrain during Rice's diplomacy, reflecting U.S. frustration with Israeli targeting.
"In the wake of the tragedy that the people and the government of Lebanon are dealing with today, I have decided to postpone my discussions in Beirut," Rice said. "In any case, my work is here today,"
In Beirut, following the attack, Lebanese government officials said Rice was not welcome. Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said he would not hold talks with Rice until a ceasefire is called.
"There is no place on this sad morning for any discussion other than an immediate and unconditional ceasefire as well as an international investigation into the Israeli massacres in Lebanon now," Siniora told a news conference in Beirut.
Appearing defensive and somewhat shaken, Rice told reporters traveling with her in Jerusalem that she had called Siniora to delay her visit in light of events.
She also said this kind of warfare is "extremely difficult" and that it "unfortunately has awful consequences sometimes." Rice denied that U.S. resistance to a ceasefire now was in any way responsible for the ongoing violence and death.
"The U.S. has been working harder and harder and harder," Rice told reporters traveling with her. "I would put our efforts besides anyone's effort to deal with the situation.
"We are also pushing for an urgent end" to hostilities, Rice said. "But the views of the parties on how to achieve that are different."
With her diplomatic mission now made even more difficult by the Qana attack, Rice said she remains committed to working with the parties. "I am here in pretty difficult and dicey circumstances because I do believe that it is better to try and address these issues face to face with the parties," she said.
A senior U.S. official traveling with Rice told reporters that the United States is making "very clear to the Israelis our distress at this incident." He said Rice was "looking to wrap things up and move things to New York," where the United Nations Security Council is expected this week to try to pass a resolution on terms to end hostilities.
Earlier Sunday, Rice began her second day of talks with Israeli officials Sunday, as Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said his government is not in a rush to achieve a ceasefire after 19 days of hostilities.
Correspondent Edward Cody in Beirut contributed to this report. |
