Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora begged participants at the conference to find some way to stop the fighting. “In the past 15 days we are being bombarded daily,” he said. “Dozens of civilians are being hurt. Lebanon is being torn to shreds,” he appealed.
Siniora, who was once ambivalent about Hizbullah - a government within a government in Lebanon - now defends the terrorist organization as an integral part of his country. The Lebanese leader made no mention of the missile threat upon Israel from within his borders, nor did he indicate any willingness to try to rein it in.
Instead, Siniora demanded that Israel pay compensation for its "barbaric" attacks.
"We shall commence legal proceedings," he said, "and spare no avenue to make Israel compensate the Lebanese people for the barbaric destruction it has inflicted and continues to inflict upon us."
Sidestepping responsibility for Hizbullah's abduction of two IDF soldiers on July 12 which, together with massive Katyusha attacks, sparked the fighting, Siniora said his government did not know in advance of the planned kidnapping. Hizbullah is a member party of the Lebanese government coalition.
Though many participants called for a cease-fire, no mention at all was made of Hizbullah's Katyusha rocket fire on Israel or the consequential suffering of a third of Israel's civilian population.
The U.S. influence was strongly felt, leading to a silencing of the call for an immediate ceasefire. Proposals for the deployment of a multi-national peacekeeping force were also tabled for the time being. Both Israel and the U.S. are anxious to see Hizbullah totally decimated before the fighting stops.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice presented the American position, having come fresh from the front, talking with Lebanese and Israeli leaders just prior to her arrival in Italy.
Rice reiterated the American position that any ceasefire would have to be “sustainable,” and must include measures to prevent a return to conditions that existed before the war began.
“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 said, adding that UN Resolution 1559 had already spelled out the solution.
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.
U.S. President George W. Bush has said he will not support any deal that leaves Hizbullah terrorists on Israel’s border.
Iran warned early Wednesday that the conference would fail. A Foreign Ministry spokesman told reporters that “if they quest after peace, they must invite all the countries in the region, including Syria and Iran.”
Israel's Foreign Ministry released a statement saying, "Israel expects that, pursuant to the Rome statement and the responsibility placed on the Government of Lebanon, the international community will act immediately to strengthen the Lebanese Army and turn it into a force capable of implementing these obligations [of Resolution 1559]."
Siniora, who was once ambivalent about Hizbullah - a government within a government in Lebanon - now defends the terrorist organization as an integral part of his country. The Lebanese leader made no mention of the missile threat upon Israel from within his borders, nor did he indicate any willingness to try to rein it in.
Instead, Siniora demanded that Israel pay compensation for its "barbaric" attacks.
"We shall commence legal proceedings," he said, "and spare no avenue to make Israel compensate the Lebanese people for the barbaric destruction it has inflicted and continues to inflict upon us."
Sidestepping responsibility for Hizbullah's abduction of two IDF soldiers on July 12 which, together with massive Katyusha attacks, sparked the fighting, Siniora said his government did not know in advance of the planned kidnapping. Hizbullah is a member party of the Lebanese government coalition.
Though many participants called for a cease-fire, no mention at all was made of Hizbullah's Katyusha rocket fire on Israel or the consequential suffering of a third of Israel's civilian population.
The U.S. influence was strongly felt, leading to a silencing of the call for an immediate ceasefire. Proposals for the deployment of a multi-national peacekeeping force were also tabled for the time being. Both Israel and the U.S. are anxious to see Hizbullah totally decimated before the fighting stops.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice presented the American position, having come fresh from the front, talking with Lebanese and Israeli leaders just prior to her arrival in Italy.
Rice reiterated the American position that any ceasefire would have to be “sustainable,” and must include measures to prevent a return to conditions that existed before the war began.
“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 said, adding that UN Resolution 1559 had already spelled out the solution.
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.
U.S. President George W. Bush has said he will not support any deal that leaves Hizbullah terrorists on Israel’s border.
Iran warned early Wednesday that the conference would fail. A Foreign Ministry spokesman told reporters that “if they quest after peace, they must invite all the countries in the region, including Syria and Iran.”
Israel's Foreign Ministry released a statement saying, "Israel expects that, pursuant to the Rome statement and the responsibility placed on the Government of Lebanon, the international community will act immediately to strengthen the Lebanese Army and turn it into a force capable of implementing these obligations [of Resolution 1559]."