British attack Israeli tactics in Lebanon

THE British government issued a fierce condemnation of Israel's bombing campaign in Lebanon last night as world leaders desperately sought a last-minute deal to avert a ground war.

As Israeli tanks massed on the border and troops made sporadic raids on Lebanese villages, Foreign Office minister Kim Howells

claimed Israel was not inflicting "surgical strikes" but waging war on "the entire Lebanese nation".

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His outburst appeared to shift the British position, which has so far been to support Israel's action while cautioning restraint.

The furious round of international diplomacy, in the shadow of a return to full-scale war in the Middle East, came in advance of a visit to the region by American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice today and an international "peace conference" in Italy on Wednesday.

But Howells, who was in Beirut overseeing the evacuation of thousands of Britons and who will travel to Israel today, gave a dramatic signal that many senior government figures are in despair over the failure to bring a halt to the fighting.

"I very much hope that the Americans understand what's happening to Lebanon," he said. "The destruction of the infrastructure, the death of so many children and so many people. These have not been surgical strikes.

"And it's very, very difficult, I think, to understand the kind of military tactics that have been used.

"You know, if they're chasing Hezbollah, then go for Hezbollah. You don't go for the entire Lebanese nation."

His comments underlined growing frustration at the failure to agree a lasting ceasefire to end the conflict - and hinted at a split between the Foreign Office and Tony Blair, who has taken a more emollient line towards Israel.

Downing Street furiously denied any difference of opinion last night, insisting that they were working closely with the Foreign Office to bring an end to the military exchanges and human suffering.

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"You can take it from me, there is a lot of activity behind the scenes and across all departments," a Downing Street spokesman said last night. "We are working towards a diplomatic solution that will protect democracy in Lebanon."

Scotland on Sunday understands that American and British officials have been mounting a diplomatic offensive with Arab nations, including Syria. President George Bush also discussed the developing crisis with Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan.

Rice will step up the pace today when she meets Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem. She will also discuss the situation with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas before travelling to Rome, where she will meet representatives of European and moderate Arab governments. The aim is to shore up the weak democratic government in Lebanon's capital, Beirut.

Bush yesterday reinforced his unwavering support for Israel, repeating the country's right to defend itself in the face of guerrilla attacks from Lebanon and Gaza.

"By its actions, Hezbollah has jeopardised Lebanon's tremendous advances and betrayed the Lebanese people," Bush said.

Rice said she did not expect US troops to form part of a potential peacekeeping contingent in southern Lebanon. "We are looking at what kind of international assistance force makes sense, but I do not think that it is anticipated that US ground forces are expected for that force," she said.

Israeli troops moved into southern Lebanon on the ground yesterday, taking control of a village and engaging Hezbollah militants by land, sea and air as part of the country's limited ground campaign.

The soldiers - backed by artillery and tank fire - moved into the large Lebanese village of Maroun al-Ras and took control, military officials said. The force included Israeli tanks, bulldozers and personnel carriers that knocked down a border fence and entered the area.

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The equipment and about 25 soldiers raced past a UN outpost and headed into the village where other Israeli soldiers already had control. But gunfire could be heard from the village, and artillery based inside Israel also was firing on it.

Up to 2,000 Israeli troops entered the area yesterday, but some later returned.

Lebanese security sources said the Israeli military had made incursions of only a few hundred meters into the Maroun al-Ras and Yaroun villages.

Hezbollah meanwhile fired more than 100 rockets at towns across northern Israel yesterday, injuring more than a dozen people.

In Beirut, ships continued to arrive at the main port, part of a massive evacuation effort to pull out Americans and other foreigners. France, the United Nations and Red Cross demanded Israel open humanitarian corridors to allow shelter, food, water and medicine to reach an estimated half-million displace people.

Responding to a US request, Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz said French aid would be allowed into Lebanon's port of Sidon.

There was some hope on the Gaza strip, however, when militant groups agreed to stop firing missiles at Israel at midnight. The unilateral cease-fire is aimed at ending an Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip that began on June 28 three days after militants raided an Israeli army post, killing two soldiers and capturing a third, 19-year-old Cpl Gilad Shalit.

• Yesterday, hundreds of marchers brought Argyle Street, in Glasgow, to a standstill by staging a sit-down protest against Israeli military action in Lebanon. Meanwhile, around 7,000 protested in London against the Israeli attacks.

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