Decision ‘08

Not A Good Thing

To support Israel is not the same as being immune to the tragedy of the current situation, and the latest strike that killed several dozen children is indeed just that: a tragedy. The calls for a ceasefire will grow stronger now, and indeed, Condi was forced to postpone her latest round of negotiations after the strike:

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was forced to cancel a trip to Beirut Sunday after an Israeli airstrike killed more than 50 people, mostly women and children, in the southern Lebanese town of Qana in the bloodiest attack since the hostilities began between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia. But she did not call for an immediate ceasefire.

Rice will abandon her Middle East negotiations at least temporarily to return to Washington Monday, U.S. officials said Sunday. Rice will shift her diplomatic efforts to the United Nations, aides say. The U.N. Security Council is planning an emergency session this morning.

“Her intention is to move to get this thing done in the Security Council,” a senior State Department official traveling with Rice told reporters traveling with her.

Earlier, at a hastily called news conference, Rice said she was “deeply saddened” by the “terrible loss of life” and insisted the United States was working harder than any party to try to achieve a ceasefire.

Rice said she learned of the attack during a meeting with Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz and reiterated U.S. concern about Israel’s attacks on civilian targets — a common refrain during Rice’s diplomacy, reflecting U.S. frustration with Israeli targeting.

“In the wake of the tragedy that the people and the government of Lebanon are dealing with today, I have decided to postpone my discussions in Beirut,” Rice said. “In any case, my work is here today,”

In Beirut, following the attack, Lebanese government officials said Rice was not welcome. Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said he would not hold talks with Rice until a ceasefire is called.

“There is no place on this sad morning for any discussion other than an immediate and unconditional ceasefire as well as an international investigation into the Israeli massacres in Lebanon now,” Siniora told a news conference in Beirut.

We all know that Hezbollah intentionally places Lebanese civilians in harm’s way (see AJ for more on that) and any blood spilled is on their hands, in my view; but all the same, this will only give more fuel to Israeli opponents.

This coming week will be one of heavy pressure on Israel…