Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - July 31, 2006, Winnipeg, Manitoba A4 Winnipeg free press monday july 31, 2006 Mideast in crisis in seeks end to violence in Lebanon Security Council stops Short of condemning israeli air strike by Paul Burkhardt u United nations ? the in Security Council called yester Day for an end to violence in Lebanon and expressed extreme Shock and distress Over Israel a bombing of civilians in the Village of Ana which killed 56 people almost All of them women and children. But the presidential statement adopted unanimously by the 15-member coun cil in an emergency session stopped Short of condemning the israeli air strike yesterday. The Council said it strongly deplores this loss of innocent life and the killing of civilians in the present conflict and called for the Council to work without delay to adopt a Resolution for a lasting settlement of the crisis. The Security Council expresses its extreme Shock and distress at the shelling by the israeli defence forces of a residential building in Ana in Southern Lebanon which has caused the killing of dozens of civilians mostly Chil Dren and injured Many others it said. Earlier yesterday in Secretary Gen eral Kofi Annan had called again for an immediate halt to violence Between Israel and Hezbollah telling the Council he was deeply dismayed that his pre Vious appeals went unheeded. He said the Region was becoming impatient that the Council the most pow Erful in body had yet to Issue a meaningful response after three weeks of War in Lebanon. Action is needed now before Many More children women and men become casualties of a conflict Over which they have no control Annan said. Attempts by Qatar the Only Arab nation on the Council to strengthen Lan Guage in the statement prolonged discussions late into the evening before the statement was passed. But . Ambassador John Bolton opposed any condemnation of the attack. Bolton repeated the american insistence that any statement must address what the . Says is the Root cause of the conflict ? Hezbollah a continued grip on Southern Lebanon and its attacks on Israel. Our View for quite some time has been and remains that we need to work toward a permanent solution to the prob lems in the Region and that obviously we Are converging to try to find a Way to reach that solution Bolton said. At the Vatican Pope Benedict Xvi appealed yesterday for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East. In the name of god i Appeal to All those responsible for this spiral of Vio Lence so that they immediately put Down their arms on All sides the Pope told pilgrims and tourists at his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo on the out skirts of Rome. The United states Israel a chief ally cessation of hostilities he told reporters pausing slightly he repeated the word has blocked stronger statements at the United nations late yesterday because it does not want to press Israel referring to Israel a announcement. We i Appeal to governing leaders and to for an immediate ceasefire. Are looking for something much More International institutions not to spare in unusually Frank terms Annan said than any Effort to obtain this necessary Ces the Council risks undermining its own a French backed Security Council res station of hostilities the pontiff said. Authority if it does not take action. He solution is expected to be discussed in the much of the International Community said that was underscored by attacks on coming Days. President Bush and British has been calling for an immediate cease the in Headquarters in Beirut yester prime minister Tony Blair called Friday fire but Israel and the United states Day when protesters angry about the for a in Resolution that would Lay the have resisted saying a settlement should Ana attack smashed windows and groundwork for peace in Lebanon and address enduring issues Between hurled stones. Deploy an International Force there. Lebanon and Israel and disable he Bol people have noticed its failure to act speaking before the Council israeli Lah. Firmly and quickly during this crisis ambassador Dan Gillerman apologized in the three weeks since fighting Annan said. For the air strike in Ana but he said began the Security councils Only lebanese special envoy Nouhad there was no comparison Between response has been a weak statement Mahoud expressed disappointment Hezbollah which intentionally targets expressing Shock and distress at Israel a about the statement and said Israel a israeli civilians and uses lebanese civil bombing of a in Post on the Lebanon announcement late yesterday that it was ians As human Shields and Israel which Border tuesday which killed four suspending air strikes on South Lebanon tries to avoid civilian casualties. Unarmed in observers including a for 48 hours was inadequate. Canadian. There is no ceasefire and there is no ? associated press palestinian protesters Burn in flags in Gaza by Sarah Eldeeb Gaza City Gaza strip ? palestinians stormed a in compound yesterday Dur ing a protest against israeli airstrikes that killed dozens of civilians in Ana Lebanon and Security officials fired into the air to disperse them. The protesters smashed windows of the Unusco building with rocks after marching through Gaza City in the demonstration. At least seven people were wounded including four police men officials at the Al buds and Shifa hospitals said. Five of the injured were hit by rocks and the other two by ricochets from the gunfire the officials said. The protesters ? who were waving lebanese and Hezbollah flags and Burn ing in flags ? quickly dispersed when palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas ordered presidential guards and pales Tinian police to close the compound. Besides the office of the United nations special coordinator the compound also includes in Headquarters the world Bank and the presidential guest Palace where important guests visiting the Gaza strip stay. Israeli forces have been fighting an offensive against Hamas linked Mili Tants in Gaza for More than a month and the militants and Many members of the Public have strongly supported the Hezbollah guerrillas fighting israeli forces in Lebanon. The offensive began after militants raided an israeli outpost and killed two soldiers and captured another. Israel also is trying to Stop militants from firing dozens of homemade rockets from Gaza into Southern Lebanon. About 100 Ganzans Many of them gun men have been killed in the offensive during which israeli forces have destroyed government buildings Bridges the territory a Only Power Sta Tion and Many Homes. Today is the Day of rage said a chant blasted from a Loudspeaker during yesterday a anti Israel pro Hezbollah March through Gaza City. From Gaza to Ana a flood of Arab blood is streaming read one poster held up by Young palestinians. Protesters held empty coffins covered with pictures of Young palestinians killed in the monthlong offensive in Gaza. Yesterday in Gaza today in Lebanon. Where is it going to be next asked Amer Al Sawaf Iri a government employee who took part in the protest. Osama Hamdan a Hamas Leader in Lebanon told the Arab satellite news Channel Al Nazeera that the Ana attack would be met with an escalation of militant operations against Israel. ? associated press ;