Rice was slated to meet with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Tuesday, hours after an initial meeting with Foreign Secretary Tzippy LIvni on Monday evening in which she expressed U.S. concerns for Lebanese civilians affected by the war.
“We are concerned about the humanitarian situation,” she said, “and nobody wants to see innocent civilians harmed.” Israel opened a humanitarian corridor in its seaside blockade two days ago in order to allow foreign nationals to leave Lebanon and international aid into the country. Most countries evacuated thousands of their citizens from Lebanon last week.
Olmert said Tuesday morning before meeting with Rice that Israel would try to work with the U.S. to relieve “humanitarian difficulties”, but reiterated that Israel will carry out “the most severe measures” against Hizbullah terrorists firing rocket attacks at Israel.
According to a political source, Olmert is expected to present Israel’s conditions for a ceasefire in his meeting with the U.S. Secretary of State. He is also expected to express Israel’s support for the temporary installation of an international force comprised of NATO soldiers in south Lebanon.
Rice is also expected to meet with Defense Minister Amir Peretz and then travel to Ramallah to meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, chairman of the minority Fatah faction.
Livni told Rice that a ceasefire would only be considered after the return of the two IDF soldiers it kidnapped on July 12, dismantling the Hizbullah terror organization and deployment of the Lebanese army in the south of the country. Hizbullah has controlled the region since Israel pulled out six years ago, in direct violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559.
The resolution, passed in 2004, calls for the disbanding and disarming of all domestic and foreign militias, and for the government of Lebanon to exercise control over all Lebanese territory.
“We have learned that peace must be based on long-term and stable principles, an end to the violence and a resolution of the humanitarian problems,” Rice responded, adding that Resolution 1559 had already spelled out the solution.
U.S. President George W. Bush has said he will not support any deal that leaves Hizbullah terrorists on Israel’s border.
“We are concerned about the humanitarian situation,” she said, “and nobody wants to see innocent civilians harmed.” Israel opened a humanitarian corridor in its seaside blockade two days ago in order to allow foreign nationals to leave Lebanon and international aid into the country. Most countries evacuated thousands of their citizens from Lebanon last week.
Olmert said Tuesday morning before meeting with Rice that Israel would try to work with the U.S. to relieve “humanitarian difficulties”, but reiterated that Israel will carry out “the most severe measures” against Hizbullah terrorists firing rocket attacks at Israel.
According to a political source, Olmert is expected to present Israel’s conditions for a ceasefire in his meeting with the U.S. Secretary of State. He is also expected to express Israel’s support for the temporary installation of an international force comprised of NATO soldiers in south Lebanon.
Rice is also expected to meet with Defense Minister Amir Peretz and then travel to Ramallah to meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, chairman of the minority Fatah faction.
Livni told Rice that a ceasefire would only be considered after the return of the two IDF soldiers it kidnapped on July 12, dismantling the Hizbullah terror organization and deployment of the Lebanese army in the south of the country. Hizbullah has controlled the region since Israel pulled out six years ago, in direct violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559.
The resolution, passed in 2004, calls for the disbanding and disarming of all domestic and foreign militias, and for the government of Lebanon to exercise control over all Lebanese territory.
“We have learned that peace must be based on long-term and stable principles, an end to the violence and a resolution of the humanitarian problems,” Rice responded, adding that Resolution 1559 had already spelled out the solution.
U.S. President George W. Bush has said he will not support any deal that leaves Hizbullah terrorists on Israel’s border.