Annan urges Mideast ceasefire at emergency UN meeting
Last Updated Sun, 30 Jul 2006 12:08:22 EDT
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2006/07/30/ceasefire-efforts.html
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan called Sunday for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East following another day of violence in the region, including the deaths of dozens of civilians after an Israeli air raid in southern Lebanon.
"I reiterate my call for an immediate cessation of hostilties to allow desperately needed humanitarian relieft to reach the victims," a solemn Annan told the Security Council as the meeting began.
"Action is needed now before many more children, women and men become casualties of a conflict over which they have no control," he said.
The UN meeting began at 11 a.m. ET and was called after France put forward a draft resolution for a ceasefire in the region.
"We must deliver the region from this seemingly endless cycle of violence," Annan said.
Speculation had been growing that a peace plan might begin to emerge following the return Saturday to Jerusalem by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Heading to Israel, Rice had spoken of the need for "give and take" in ceasefire discussions. And Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah had agreed to co-operate with the Lebanese government in negotiations aimed at ending the crisis.
By Sunday, however, word came that Rice would instead leave the region and return to Washington.
Rice also cancelled a planned visit to Beirut on Sunday, hours after the air strike in Qana, Lebanon.
"In the wake of the tragedy that the people of Lebanon are facing today, I have decided to postpone my trip to Beirut," Rice said.
She said she was "deeply saddened by the terrible loss of innocent life," but insisted the United States was working hard to achieve a ceasefire.
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Israeli air strike kills dozens of civilians
Last Updated Sun, 30 Jul 2006 12:46:17 EDT
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2006/07/30/mideast.html
At least 57 people, many of them women and children, were killed early Sunday in an Israeli air strike on the southern Lebanese town of Qana, Lebanese security officials said.
Those who died were inside a building that had collapsed. Video footage showed at least 20 bodies wrapped in white sheets at the scene.
Lebanese officials said the civilians killed had taken refuge in the basement of the building when bombs fell before dawn.
Israeli officials said the neighbourhood was targeted based on intelligence that Hezbollah fighters had used it to launch rockets at northern Israel, including 40 that landed earlier on Sunday.
They also said civilians were warned several days ago to leave Qana.
In 1996, Israeli shelling killed 102 people in Qana. Most of the victims were women and children in that incident, as well. They were taking refuge in a United Nations building during an earlier Israeli offensive against Hezbollah.
In response to the latest Israeli bombing raid, a crowd of men ransacked the main United Nations building in Beirut. Hezbollah supporters scaled fences, threw rocks and smashed windows before entering the ground floor of the building.
Rice cancels trip to Beirut
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice cancelled a planned visit to Beirut on Sunday, hours after the air strike.
Rice told a press conference in Jerusalem that during a meeting with the Israeli defence minister, she reiterated the U.S. stance that Israel should be more careful in its targeting to minimize civilian casualties.
She said she is "deeply saddened by the terrible loss of innocent life," but insisted the United States was working hard to achieve a ceasefire.
"In the wake of the tragedy that the people of Lebanon are facing today, I have decided to postpone my trip to Beirut," Rice said. "In any case, my work today is here [in Israel]."
Lebanon's Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said he himself had requested that Rice not travel to the Lebanese capital in light of the Qana attack.
"There is no place at this sad moment for any discussions other than an immediate and unconditional ceasefire as well as international investigation of the Israeli massacres in Lebanon now," he told reporters.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert expressed "great sorrow" for the airstrikes but said Hezbollah was to blame for using the area to attack Israel.
Rice is making her second trip to the Middle East since the crisis began two and a half weeks ago. Among the items Rice is seeking is an international agreement on a UN-mandated multinational force that offcials hope will provide stability in the region.
Last Updated Sun, 30 Jul 2006 12:08:22 EDT
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2006/07/30/ceasefire-efforts.html
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan called Sunday for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East following another day of violence in the region, including the deaths of dozens of civilians after an Israeli air raid in southern Lebanon.
"I reiterate my call for an immediate cessation of hostilties to allow desperately needed humanitarian relieft to reach the victims," a solemn Annan told the Security Council as the meeting began.
"Action is needed now before many more children, women and men become casualties of a conflict over which they have no control," he said.
The UN meeting began at 11 a.m. ET and was called after France put forward a draft resolution for a ceasefire in the region.
"We must deliver the region from this seemingly endless cycle of violence," Annan said.
Speculation had been growing that a peace plan might begin to emerge following the return Saturday to Jerusalem by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Heading to Israel, Rice had spoken of the need for "give and take" in ceasefire discussions. And Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah had agreed to co-operate with the Lebanese government in negotiations aimed at ending the crisis.
By Sunday, however, word came that Rice would instead leave the region and return to Washington.
Rice also cancelled a planned visit to Beirut on Sunday, hours after the air strike in Qana, Lebanon.
"In the wake of the tragedy that the people of Lebanon are facing today, I have decided to postpone my trip to Beirut," Rice said.
She said she was "deeply saddened by the terrible loss of innocent life," but insisted the United States was working hard to achieve a ceasefire.
－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－
Israeli air strike kills dozens of civilians
Last Updated Sun, 30 Jul 2006 12:46:17 EDT
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2006/07/30/mideast.html
At least 57 people, many of them women and children, were killed early Sunday in an Israeli air strike on the southern Lebanese town of Qana, Lebanese security officials said.
Those who died were inside a building that had collapsed. Video footage showed at least 20 bodies wrapped in white sheets at the scene.
Lebanese officials said the civilians killed had taken refuge in the basement of the building when bombs fell before dawn.
Israeli officials said the neighbourhood was targeted based on intelligence that Hezbollah fighters had used it to launch rockets at northern Israel, including 40 that landed earlier on Sunday.
They also said civilians were warned several days ago to leave Qana.
In 1996, Israeli shelling killed 102 people in Qana. Most of the victims were women and children in that incident, as well. They were taking refuge in a United Nations building during an earlier Israeli offensive against Hezbollah.
In response to the latest Israeli bombing raid, a crowd of men ransacked the main United Nations building in Beirut. Hezbollah supporters scaled fences, threw rocks and smashed windows before entering the ground floor of the building.
Rice cancels trip to Beirut
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice cancelled a planned visit to Beirut on Sunday, hours after the air strike.
Rice told a press conference in Jerusalem that during a meeting with the Israeli defence minister, she reiterated the U.S. stance that Israel should be more careful in its targeting to minimize civilian casualties.
She said she is "deeply saddened by the terrible loss of innocent life," but insisted the United States was working hard to achieve a ceasefire.
"In the wake of the tragedy that the people of Lebanon are facing today, I have decided to postpone my trip to Beirut," Rice said. "In any case, my work today is here [in Israel]."
Lebanon's Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said he himself had requested that Rice not travel to the Lebanese capital in light of the Qana attack.
"There is no place at this sad moment for any discussions other than an immediate and unconditional ceasefire as well as international investigation of the Israeli massacres in Lebanon now," he told reporters.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert expressed "great sorrow" for the airstrikes but said Hezbollah was to blame for using the area to attack Israel.
Rice is making her second trip to the Middle East since the crisis began two and a half weeks ago. Among the items Rice is seeking is an international agreement on a UN-mandated multinational force that offcials hope will provide stability in the region.
