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America Urges End to Fighting in Mideast

On Thursday, U.S. President George W. Bush called on both Israel and Hizballah to stop escalating their war, even as Israel`s security cabinet vote to expand its ground invasion of southern Lebanon. The White House remarks came after Israel`s Security Cabinet decided on Wednesday during an all-day session to expand Israel`s attacks on Hizballah. White House Press Secretary Tony Snow said the "de-escalation" message was for both sides.

Israel had pondered waiting until a cease-fire resolution at the UN could be given a chance, but disagreements between the U.S., France and the Arab League over a draft plan to attempt to bring a halt to the war delayed any resolution at the U.N. Security Council this week. France proposed new versions of a cease-fire resolution and Israeli pullout plan, but the U.S. rejected it as the U.S. and France had spent many hours in negotiations to come up with the first plan.

In Texas, where President Bush was vacationing at his ranch, Snow said "We are working hard now to bridge differences between the United States position and some of the positions of our allies...we want an end to violence and we do not want escalations." U.S. officials were concerned the Lebanese government could not stop Hizballah attacks from its strongholds in the south without the assistance of international troops. "The Lebanese army, while an absolutely essential part of any solution, is not itself independently capable of dealing with the problem, at least not yet," Snow said.