LEBANON: Israeli airstrikes continued in Beirut, as U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, David Welch said there was a need for "lasting political framework backed by an international force" in Lebanon

Israel launched up to 70 missile airstrikes into southern Lebanon on Saturday (August 5) targeting a Hizbollah stronghold in the capital Beirut. Israeli airstrikes continued their round-the-clock bombardment of Lebanon and smoke could be seen billowing in the Dahiyeh neighbourhood as office buildings and apartment complexes were reduced to rubble. A blast echoed over Beirut at dawn and television station al-Manar said bombs had hit a southern suburb. The neighbourhood was deserted early morning with only a few residents walking among the ruins to collect their possessions. Most residents have fled the area since the Jewish state began its bombardment of Lebanon on July 12. Two days earlier, an Israeli warplane dropped leaflets on the southern suburb, urging residents to flee the area because Israel planned to widen its offensive in Beirut. Demonstrators outside a meeting with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State David Welch and Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora in Beirut condemned what they see as U.S. support for Israel's offensive in Lebanon. Burning American and Israeli flags, protesters chanted "Abou Hadi" referring to Hizbollah Chief Sayyet Hassan Nasrallah. Hadi, Nasrallah's son, who was killed in confrontations with Israeli troops during the Israeli occupation to Lebanon. Others carried placards that openly defied Washington including: "Are You Talking About (the) Holocaust", "Solidarity With The Lebanese Resistance", and "Mr. Bush It's Lebanon Are U Stupid". Welch said a solution to end the 'terrible violence' lay in a "lasting political framework backed by an international force". "As I said, we want to put an end and put behind us forever the terrible violence that we have witnessed in the past three weeks, with a lasting political frame work, supported by an international force to help the Lebanese armed forces," said Welch after meeting Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. Welch discussed a draft U.N. resolution that world powers hope will halt the conflict in which at least 734 people in Lebanon and 75 Israelis have been killed. Earlier, Welch held talks with Nabih Berri, the Shi'ite speaker of parliament who has acted as the main contact between the government and Hizbollah since the violence began. Welch gave no details of his talks with Siniora and Berri. Lebanese political sources said Berri insisted on the Beirut government's seven-point plan, which starts with a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the south ahead of any deployment of the Lebanese army backed by U.N. peacekeepers. The sources said Welch had already held an initial round of talks with Siniora after arriving in Beirut on Friday (August 4) night. Commenting on the more than 900,000 Lebanese civilians who fled their towns and villages to escape Israel's bombardment, Welch said: "Those who left their homes to escape the violence must be able to return to their town and villages as soon as possible. With the beginning of the school year approaching, the children of Lebanon must be able to start the school again with their classmates in their homes." Differences between the United States and France remain over the contents of a draft U.N. resolution. Paris wants existing U.N. peacekeepers and Lebanon's army to monitor a truce, while Washington wants the Israeli army to stay in south Lebanon until an international force arrives. The United States also wants monitoring of Lebanon's border with Syria to prevent Hizbollah from rearming, diplomats said. Israeli shelling on the southern town of Khiam continued, as Israeli troops and Hizbollah guerrillas fought each other. Rocket fire killed three Israeli civilians on Friday (August 4).

ITN Source | August 5, 2006

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