Monday, July 31, 2006

Introduced by Darrell Issa July 19

Condemning the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers by Hamas and Hezbollah, affirming the right of Israel to conduct operations to secure the kidnapped soldiers, urging all parties to protect... (Introduced in House)

HRES 926 IH

109th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. RES. 926

Condemning the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers by Hamas and Hezbollah, affirming the right of Israel to conduct operations to secure the kidnapped soldiers, urging all parties to protect innocent life and civilian infrastructure, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 19, 2006

Mr. ISSA submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations


RESOLUTION

Condemning the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers by Hamas and Hezbollah, affirming the right of Israel to conduct operations to secure the kidnapped soldiers, urging all parties to protect innocent life and civilian infrastructure, and for other purposes.

Whereas on June 25, 2006, Israeli Defense Forces Corporal Gilad Shalit was kidnapped and taken hostage by a Palestinian militant group that included members of the military wing of Hamas;

Whereas Hamas political leader Khaled Meshaal, in Damascus, Syria, has acknowledged the role of Hamas in holding Corporal Shalit hostage;

Whereas on July 12, 2006, operatives of the terrorist group Hezbollah carried out an attack in Israel, killing three Israeli soldiers and taking two others hostage;

Whereas Hezbollah Secretary General Hasan Nasrallah has acknowledged Hezbollah's responsibility for the attack and taking hostages;

Whereas Iran, Syria, and elements of the Government of Lebanon have a well-documented history of supporting the terrorist groups responsible for these kidnappings;

Whereas President George W. Bush stated on July 13, 2006, `[t]he democracy of Lebanon is an important part of laying a foundation of peace', that the government of Lebanese Prime Minister Faoud Sinoria must not be undermined during the current crisis, and that Syria and Iran must be held to account for their shared responsibility in the recent hostage taking; and

Whereas Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stated on July 12, 2006, `All sides must act with restraint to resolve this incident peacefully and to protect innocent life and civilian infrastructure.': Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

      (1) condemns Hamas and Hezbollah for engaging in the reprehensible terrorist act of taking hostages;

      (2) affirms the right of Israel to conduct operations, both inside and outside its own borders and in the territory of countries supporting the hostage takers, in pursuit of the release of hostages;

      (3) notes that all governments that have provided continued support to Hamas or Hezbollah share responsibility for the hostage taking and urges these countries to use all efforts to secure the unconditional release of the hostages;

      (4) urges all parties to protect innocent life and civilian infrastructure;

      (5) declares its continued commitment to aiding Israel and the administration of President George W. Bush in battling terrorism and securing the unconditional release of hostages; and

      (6) expresses its condolences to all innocent victims of recent violence in Israel, Lebanon, and the Palestinian territories and their families, including those of the three Israeli hostages.

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Humanitarian Assistance to the Lebanese People

US Department of State
Press Statement
Tom Casey, Deputy Spokesman
Washington, DC
July 24, 2006

Humanitarian Assistance to the Lebanese People


Today, Secretary of State Rice authorized $30 million in immediate humanitarian assistance to victims of the conflict in Lebanon. We remain deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in Lebanon and this response to the appeal from the United Nations and other organizations will help address some of the most pressing needs of conflict victims. To meet the most urgent needs, the United States is dispatching two large-scale medical deliveries that will arrive in Lebanon on July 25. Each of these deliveries contains enough medicine and supplies to meet the basic medical needs of 10,000 people for a three month period. The U.S. will also begin delivering other direct U.S. assistance to Lebanon, including plastic sheeting and blankets, starting July 25. We will continue to do all that we can to support the Government of Lebanon as it seeks to address the needs of its people.

Saturday, July 22, 2006

President Bush's Radio Address on July 22

 
The White House, President George W. Bush

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
(Englewood, Colorado)
July 22, 2006

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. This week I returned from Russia, where I met with world leaders at the G8 summit. The summit was an opportunity for important talks with these nations, and it brought progress on key issues. We had wide-ranging discussions on the global economy. We agreed on new steps to strengthen our collective security, including a United Nations Security Council resolution on North Korea. This resolution condemned North Korea's recent missile launches and it urged the North Korean regime to abandon its nuclear programs and return to the six-party talks.

Much of our time at the summit was spent discussing the situation in the Middle East, especially the recent violence in Israel and Lebanon. The recent crisis in the region was triggered by the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers by the terrorist group Hezbollah and the launch of rockets against Israeli cities. I believe sovereign nations have the right to defend their people from terrorist attack, and to take the necessary action to prevent those attacks.

We're also mindful of the cost to innocent civilians in Lebanon and in Israel, and we have called on Israel to continue to exercise the greatest possible care to protect innocent lives. Throughout this crisis I have spoken to leaders in the Middle East and around the world. Our efforts to resolve this dangerous situation are guided by an international framework that is already in place.

In 2004, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1559, which recognizes the sovereignty of Lebanon, calls for all foreign forces to withdraw from Lebanon, and calls for the disbanding and disarmament of all militias. Hezbollah defied the world's just demands by maintaining armed units in the southern region of Lebanon and attacking Israel in defiance of the democratically elected Lebanese government.

I've directed Secretary of State Rice to travel to the Middle East in the coming days to discuss the best ways to resolve this crisis with leaders in the region. Secretary Rice will make it clear that resolving the crisis demands confronting the terrorist group that launched the attacks and the nations that support it.

For many years, Syria has been a primary sponsor of Hezbollah and it has helped provide Hezbollah with shipments of Iranian made weapons. Iran's regime has also repeatedly defied the international community with its ambition for nuclear weapons and aid to terrorist groups. Their actions threaten the entire Middle East and stand in the way of resolving the current crisis and bringing lasting peace to this troubled region.

We're also concerned about the impact the current conflict is having on Lebanon's young democracy. This is a difficult and trying time for the people of Lebanon. Hezbollah's practice of hiding rockets in civilian neighborhoods, and its efforts to undermine the democratically elected government have shown it to be no friend of Lebanon. By its actions, Hezbollah has jeopardized Lebanon's tremendous advances and betrayed the Lebanese people.

Over the past week, nations like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates have stepped forward to offer humanitarian aid and assistance to the Lebanese government. America and our allies will join these efforts. We're also working to help American citizens who wish to leave Lebanon. American military personnel and embassy officials are working hard to ensure this operation proceeds smoothly and safely. We continue to pray for the safety of all people in Lebanon -- Americans, Lebanese, and citizens of other countries.

America remains committed to lasting peace in the Middle East. The United States and our partners will continue to seek a return to the road map for peace in the Middle East, which sets out the pathway to establishing a viable democratic Palestinian state that will live in peace with Israel. We will continue to support moderate leaders, like Palestinian Authority President Abbas. We will continue to call on Hamas to end its acts of terror. And now, more than ever, the Palestinians need leaders who are not compromised by terror and who will help the Palestinian people provide a future for their children based on regional peace and security.

In the long-term, this peace will come only by defeating the terrorist ideology of hatred and fear. The world's best hope for lasting security and stability across the Middle East is the establishment of free and just societies. America and our allies will act decisively because we know our security is at stake in this struggle and we know the cause of freedom will prevail.

Thank you for listening.

END


Return to this article at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/07/20060722.html

Thursday, July 20, 2006

RES 921 IH: Condemning the recent attacks against the State of Israel,...

(Related Bills: H.RES.922, H.RES.923, H.RES.926, S.RES.534 )
HRES 921 IH Passed today 418 votes (with 4 nays only).
Condemning the recent attacks against the State of Israel, holding terrorists and their state-sponsors accountable for such attacks, supporting Israel's right to defend itself, and... (Introduced in House)

HRES 921 IH


109th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. RES. 921
Condemning the recent attacks against the State of Israel, holding terrorists and their state-sponsors accountable for such attacks, supporting Israel's right to defend itself, and for other purposes.


IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 18, 2006
Mr. BOEHNER (for himself, Mr. HYDE, and Mr. LANTOS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


RESOLUTION
Condemning the recent attacks against the State of Israel, holding terrorists and their state-sponsors accountable for such attacks, supporting Israel's right to defend itself, and for other purposes.

Whereas on September 12, 2005, Israel completed its unilateral withdrawal from Gaza, demonstrating its willingness to make sacrifices for the sake of peace;

Whereas more than 1,000 rockets have been launched from Gaza into Israel since Israel's disengagement;

Whereas in a completely unprovoked attack that occurred in undisputed Israeli territory on June 25, 2006, Israeli Defense Forces Corporal Gilad Shalit was kidnapped and is being held hostage in Gaza by a Palestinian terrorist group which includes members of Hamas;

Whereas Hamas political leader Khaled Meshaal, in Damascus, Syria, has acknowledged the role of Hamas in holding Corporal Shalit hostage;

Whereas in a completely unprovoked attack that occurred in undisputed Israeli territory on July 12, 2006, operatives of the terrorist group Hezbollah operating out of southern Lebanon killed three Israeli soldiers and took two others hostage;

Whereas Israel fully complied with United Nations Security Council Resolution 425 (1978) by completely withdrawing its forces from Lebanon, as certified by the United Nations Security Council and affirmed by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan on June 16, 2000, when he said, `Israel has withdrawn from [Lebanon] in full compliance with Security Council Resolution 425.';

Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559 (2004) calls for the complete withdrawal of all foreign forces from Lebanon and the dismantlement of all independent militias in Lebanon;

Whereas despite the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559, the Government of Lebanon has failed to disband and disarm Hezbollah, allowing Hezbollah instead to amass 13,000 rockets, including rockets that are more destructive, longer-range and more accurate than rockets previously used by Hezbollah, and has integrated Hezbollah into the Lebanese Government;

Whereas the Government of Israel has previously shown great restraint despite the fact that Hezbollah has launched at least four separate attacks into Israel using rockets and ground forces over the past year;

Whereas the failure of the Government of Lebanon to implement all aspects of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559 and to extend its authority throughout its territory has enabled Hezbollah to launch armed attacks against Israel and recently to kidnap Israeli soldiers;

Whereas Hezbollah's strength derives significantly from the direct financial, military, and political support it receives from Syria and Iran, and Hezbollah also receives important support from sources within Lebanon;

Whereas Iranian Revolutionary Guards continue to operate in southern Lebanon, providing support to Hezbollah and reportedly controlling its operational activities;

Whereas the Government of the United States has enacted several laws, including the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003 (Public Law 108-175) and the Iran and Libya Sanctions Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-172), which call for the imposition of sanctions on Syria and Iran for, among other things, their support for terrorism and terrorist organizations;

Whereas the House of Representatives has repeatedly called for full implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559;

Whereas section 1224 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2003 (Public Law 107-228) withholds certain assistance to Lebanon contingent on the deployment of the Lebanese armed forces to the internationally recognized border between Lebanon and Israel and its effective assertion of authority in the border area in order, among other reasons, to prevent cross-border infiltration by terrorists, precisely the criminal activity that has provoked the current crisis;

Whereas President George W. Bush stated on July 12, 2006, `Hezbollah's terrorist operations threaten Lebanon's security and are an affront to the sovereignty of the Lebanese Government. Hezbollah's actions are not in the interest of the Lebanese people, whose welfare should not be held hostage to the interests of the Syrian and Iranian regimes.', and has repeatedly affirmed that Syria and Iran must be held to account for their shared responsibility in the recent attacks;

Whereas the United States recognizes that some members of the democratically-elected Lebanese parliament are working to build an autonomous and sovereign Lebanon and supports their efforts; and

Whereas both Hezbollah and Hamas refuse to recognize Israel's right to exist and call for the destruction of Israel: Now, therefore, be it


Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

(1) reaffirms its steadfast support for the State of Israel;

(2) condemns Hamas and Hezbollah for engaging in unprovoked and reprehensible armed attacks against Israel on undisputed Israeli territory, for taking hostages, for killing Israeli soldiers, and for continuing to indiscriminately target Israeli civilian populations with their rockets and missiles;

(3) further condemns Hamas and Hezbollah for cynically exploiting civilian populations as shields, locating their equipment and bases of operation, including their rockets and other armaments, amidst civilian populations, including in homes and mosques;

(4) recognizes Israel's longstanding commitment to minimizing civilian loss and welcomes Israel's continued efforts to prevent civilian casualties;

(5) demands the Governments of Iran and Syria to direct Hamas and Hezbollah to immediately and unconditionally release Israeli soldiers which they hold captive;

(6) affirms that all governments that have provided continued support to Hamas or Hezbollah share responsibility for the hostage-taking and attacks against Israel and, as such, should be held accountable for their actions;

(7) condemns the Governments of Iran and Syria for their continued support for Hezbollah and Hamas in their armed attacks against Israelis and their other terrorist activities;

(8) supports Israel's right to take appropriate action to defend itself, including to conduct operations both in Israel and in the territory of nations which pose a threat to it, which is in accordance with international law, including Article 51 of the United Nations Charter;

(9) commends the President of the United States for fully supporting Israel as it responds to these armed attacks by terrorist organizations and their state sponsors;

(10) urges the President of the United States to bring the full force of political, diplomatic, and economic sanctions available to the Government of the United States against the Governments of Syria and Iran;

(11) demands the Government of Lebanon to do everything in its power to find and free the kidnapped Israeli soldiers being held in the territory of Lebanon;

(12) calls on the United Nations Security Council to condemn these unprovoked acts and to take action to ensure full and immediate implementation of United Nations Security Council 1559 (2004), which requires Hezbollah to be dismantled and the departure of all Syrian personnel and Iranian Revolutionary Guards from Lebanon;

(13) expresses its condolences to all families of innocent victims of recent violence; and

(14) declares its continued commitment to working with Israel and other United States allies in combating terrorism worldwide.

HRES 926 IH- Introduced by Darrell Issa July 19

Condemning the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers by Hamas and Hezbollah, affirming the right of Israel to conduct operations to secure the kidnapped soldiers, urging all parties to protect... (Introduced in House)

HRES 926 IH


109th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. RES. 926
Condemning the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers by Hamas and Hezbollah, affirming the right of Israel to conduct operations to secure the kidnapped soldiers, urging all parties to protect innocent life and civilian infrastructure, and for other purposes.


IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 19, 2006
Mr. ISSA submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


RESOLUTION
Condemning the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers by Hamas and Hezbollah, affirming the right of Israel to conduct operations to secure the kidnapped soldiers, urging all parties to protect innocent life and civilian infrastructure, and for other purposes.

Whereas on June 25, 2006, Israeli Defense Forces Corporal Gilad Shalit was kidnapped and taken hostage by a Palestinian militant group that included members of the military wing of Hamas;

Whereas Hamas political leader Khaled Meshaal, in Damascus, Syria, has acknowledged the role of Hamas in holding Corporal Shalit hostage;

Whereas on July 12, 2006, operatives of the terrorist group Hezbollah carried out an attack in Israel, killing three Israeli soldiers and taking two others hostage;

Whereas Hezbollah Secretary General Hasan Nasrallah has acknowledged Hezbollah's responsibility for the attack and taking hostages;

Whereas Iran, Syria, and elements of the Government of Lebanon have a well-documented history of supporting the terrorist groups responsible for these kidnappings;

Whereas President George W. Bush stated on July 13, 2006, `[t]he democracy of Lebanon is an important part of laying a foundation of peace', that the government of Lebanese Prime Minister Faoud Sinoria must not be undermined during the current crisis, and that Syria and Iran must be held to account for their shared responsibility in the recent hostage taking; and

Whereas Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stated on July 12, 2006, `All sides must act with restraint to resolve this incident peacefully and to protect innocent life and civilian infrastructure.': Now, therefore, be it


Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

(1) condemns Hamas and Hezbollah for engaging in the reprehensible terrorist act of taking hostages;

(2) affirms the right of Israel to conduct operations, both inside and outside its own borders and in the territory of countries supporting the hostage takers, in pursuit of the release of hostages;

(3) notes that all governments that have provided continued support to Hamas or Hezbollah share responsibility for the hostage taking and urges these countries to use all efforts to secure the unconditional release of the hostages;

(4) urges all parties to protect innocent life and civilian infrastructure;

(5) declares its continued commitment to aiding Israel and the administration of President George W. Bush in battling terrorism and securing the unconditional release of hostages; and

(6) expresses its condolences to all innocent victims of recent violence in Israel, Lebanon, and the Palestinian territories and their families, including those of the three Israeli hostages.

Lebanon Evacuation Special Briefing - State Dept.

Department of State Special Briefing
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
July 19, 2006



With Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Maura Harty and Department of Defense Deputy Director for Regional Operations of the Joint Chief of Staff Brigadier General Barbero



MR. CASEY: Good afternoon again everyone. As you know, we want to be able to keep you updated on our ongoing efforts to help American citizens in Lebanon who are interested in leaving the country do so. We've got for you again our two briefers from yesterday, Assistant Secretary Maura Harty as well as General Barbero from the Defense Department, to be able to give you an update on the situation there. I think you've all heard from Sean on the political situation today earlier in the briefing. So again, just please keep questions to the specific subject at hand. Thanks again. Maura.


ASSISTANT SECRETARY HARTY: Thank you all very much for coming again today. I'll give a little bit of an update, then happy to take your questions just as we did yesterday.


First update, perhaps have already seen given the time of day, on Wednesday out of Beirut we had approximately 1,200 people board either helicopters or ships to be taken and assisted out of harm's way. Tomorrow, Thursday, we expect again to see helicopters carrying approximately 240 people and I'm happy to say that the Nashville will join in the endeavor at that point with a capacity of approximately 1,000. Once again, as I discussed yesterday, capacity was one question in how many people actually get on the conveyances and another for a variety of reasons. We have had in some instances some no-shows where we were able to give people appointments, but for whatever reason they did not necessarily make it to the ship at the appointed hour.


One of the things I talked about yesterday was a ship called the Orient Queen. We expect that to be a stalwart over the next several days. The Orient Queen today took out slightly over 1,000 people, but it is taking some time for that ship to move back and forth, so I would like to reiterate what I said about it yesterday. That it will move back and forth from Beirut to Cyprus and continue making roundtrips. What time of day it arrives tomorrow and whether or not they board it tomorrow or early Friday morning will depend on conditions on the ground at the time. And it's the kind of question -- that is a decision that will be taken by the officers on the ground doing that work.


Also on Thursday, we will continue to see people -- if there are possibilities exist we will try and have American citizens avail themselves of any opportunities on a Canadian vessel just as we did today. Yesterday also I mentioned a ship called the Sancak which did not make it as we had hoped it would. The Sancak is still en route. We will, of course, put it to use as soon as it does arrive. Just for further information on this subject, the Sancak has changed its name between yesterday and today. I have no personal explanation for that. But in the future we will be referring to the Ramah -- R-a-m-a-h. The Ramah is the ship formerly known as Sancak. When my colleague briefs, he will tell you a little bit more about additional ships that we expect to see entering into the arena on Friday, I suppose.


A couple of other quick things if I might. The process continues to be what it was yesterday, so I urge you, if you would, to report that if you are in America and you would like to help a family or a member or a friend register so that we can give them an appointment on a ship, please call us 1-888-407-4747. We're taking that information here. We are working off the same database as they have in Lebanon and we will make appointments for people on ships. If you are in or are in contact with somebody who is in Beirut who for some reason is having a hard time getting through to us, that now please call the Embassy there and the Embassy is doing the same thing we are, keeping in regular contact so that we know what one another are doing and we try to make sure to the greatest degree possible, we book the right amount of people, not too few, certainly not too many.


Some really good news is that on Thursday, the first of the chartered flights that we have arranged will arrive at BWI. And we have chartered so far nine flights, but this will be the first one making it back to CONUS and we are really all delighted by that. Continue to -- want to assure you that we are doing this in as safe and an orderly a fashion as possible.


One final update that I'd like to give is that yesterday I spoke about what we were beginning to do to get American citizens out of South Lebanon under the rubric of safe, orderly and the notion that things can be -- things are, in fact, quite volatile. Out of southern Lebanon right now we do have several groups of people that I mentioned yesterday that have congregated and are ready to move and we would like to be able to move them through the country up north and put them on ships and get them out of harm's way.


The decision was taken given conditions on the ground that they would not yet move, so they are in a holding pattern until such time as we think it is appropriate and safe and prudent to move them forward. So we will be happy to give you additional information on that when they do begin to move, just as soon as we can. But again, we are always going to err on the side of caution -- safe, orderly, continually monitoring the situation on the ground to make sure that what we are doing is the safest possible thing to be doing for our citizens at any given moment.


With that, I'll turn it over to the General. Thank you.


BGEN BARBERO: Thank you. Good afternoon. As you all know, the United States Military continues to assist with sea and air evacuations of American citizens wishing to depart Lebanon. As was discussed, the contract ship, the Orient Queen departed this morning. The motor ferry Ramah, a Panamanian flagship with the capacity of, we think, between 1,000 and 1,400 passengers will be arriving and commencing operations on the 21st. Also we've charted a high-speed vessel, the Victoria, an Italian flagship with a capacity of approximately 330 passengers, to commence operations on the 22nd.


Additionally, six CH-53 helicopters have been and are continuing to evacuate citizens, mainly those with special needs from the U.S. Embassy compound in Beirut. Three of these helicopters are from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit and three are from U.S. forces based in the United Kingdom. The following U.S. Navy Ships are now in the area: The USS Nashville and it has the capability to handle about 1,000 American citizens per day. The USS Gonzales, which is a guided missile destroyer, has the capability to conduct escort and search and rescue; the USS Barry which is also a guided-missile destroyer, has the capability to also conduct escort and search-and-rescue; and the USS Mount Whitney, which is a command-and-control ship to which the on-scene commander could move his command post to be located forward.


Five more ships are expected in the area over the coming days.


And with that, I think we'll take your questions.


QUESTION: President Bush today said that he was ready to send troops in Lebanon to help ensure the security of the safety of these operations. Can you give us more details on that?


BGEN BARBERO: I did not hear that and I can't really comment on that. We're sending troops to the area. The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit is flowing to the area along with the other naval and air assets as fast and as quickly as we can get them there. And aboard, as part of this Marine Expeditionary Unit, we have about 1,200 Marines which will be on the scene to afford that commander the flexibility to be able to execute his mission as the situation changes.


QUESTION: Is it done in consultation with the Lebanese Government?


BGEN BARBERO: It is done with consultation, yes, with the Lebanese Government through the Ambassador.


QUESTION: Sir, on that question, will the Marines -- or are the Marines expected to go onshore if they are not needed, that is to say if there's no problem, or would they only go onshore to assist if there were a problem?


BGEN BARBERO: Let me -- as we have developed the plan on this operation, we've had three key considerations: safety, security and speed. And it's a balance. We are not going to sacrifice either safety or security to achieve speed in getting American citizens evacuated. We're acting with a sense of urgency and a concern for the plight of our fellow Americans. We are also forming a task force which gives the on-scene commander the absolute flexibility to execute his mission in a very dynamic situation. As I said yesterday, this is a war zone with an active brigade -- I mean active blockade, so our intent is to provide the on-scene commander the assets he requires and to answer all of the requests for assistance that we receive from the Department of State.


QUESTION: With all due respect, sir, you didn't answer the question whether they would go onshore or only go onshore if there were trouble.


BGEN BARBERO: That's the call of the on-scene commander and I'm not sure what tactical decisions he will make once this force is assembled and as the situation develops.


QUESTION: (Inaudible) this military mission. Why does the U.S. seem to be lagging behind other nations in this effort to evacuate?


BGEN BARBERO: Let me challenge the lagging behind part of that. It's a time and distance issue. If we had ships and capability off the coast of Beirut when this started, that would be one thing. But we are assembling a task force from assets that were west and already transited out of the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. The MEU itself was ashore in Jordan participating in an exercise. It had to withdraw from that exercise, prepare, reassemble, re-board those ships and then get underway. We have moved assets from the United Kingdom, from the continental United States. We have moved assets from European Command and Central Command and Special Operations Command with as fast as we can. But it's time and distance. It's physics. Getting from Point A to Point B as fast as you can.


QUESTION: And is that why other countries are faster, because they were closer?


BGEN BARBERO: I assume so. I can't speak for them, but that's -- believe me, we're not lagging. When we heard of a request from either the Department of State or from the local commander, we started to plan and coordinate before we received the official request to get things going. And we started moving assets as fast and as soon as we heard that a need had been established.


QUESTION: Were you in any way involved or hearing from members of Congress as well as the maybe these families back here in the States that we've seen, both Michigan senators on TV recently talking that they have family -- families they're concerned with both between let's say the Detroit area and in southern Lebanon, for instance? Was any of that go-between between what Michigan representatives are hearing voiced to you at the Pentagon and here at the State Department?


BGEN BARBERO: At the Pentagon, I have not heard that, you know. But I'll say again, these are fellow Americans and we're concerned for their safety. And we are moving out with a sense of urgency to try to evacuate them as fast and as safely and as securely as we can. We've got it. And trust me, you know, these are our fellow Americans. We're going to do everything possible and we have.


ASSISTANT SECRETARY HARTY: I love that answer because I agree with it completely. But with specificity, yes, we have heard from several members of Congress and we're really happy to get that information, get that input. And yes, in several cases legislators have made us aware of people to some degree we were already aware of in southern Lebanon, and that is a group of people that we're trying very hard to move up, as I described earlier, from southern Lebanon when it is safe to do so and out of harm's way by taking them over sea to Cyprus and then on home.


BGEN BARBERO: If I could just --


ASSISTANT SECRETARY HARTY: Sure.


BGEN BARBERO: If I could just follow up on those two questions. As I said, this is a war zone. And we have to get it right the first time and we are going to do all the prudent planning and coordination to get it right the first time. We're not going to rush to failure. And we're balancing that with the requirement to get our Americans evacuated as fast as we can. So it's a balance and we think we're achieving the right balance and doing it quickly, securely and safely.


QUESTION: Will the U.S. forces in the region, whether they actually land or not, have any -- do they have any particular instructions about getting into a shooting war here? I mean, if someone were to take a shot at a U.S. ship or a landing party, what are they supposed to do?


BGEN BARBERO: Standing rules of engagement are in place for self-defense and we are studying supplemental rules of engagement and we'll be issuing those to our forces once we've -- once they've been approved.


QUESTION: What --


BGEN BARBERO: And I don't want to discuss what actions we're going to take if we're presented with a certain threat. It just wouldn't be smart to do that with our forces flowing into a very dynamic situation.


QUESTION: How are they equipped?

BGEN BARBERO: How are they equipped? With all their organic weapons and --


QUESTION: Regular -- what they would have --


BGEN BARBERO: Yes.


QUESTION: Question for Maura. Can you clarify -- there's a little discrepancy. I believe Sean said today they're encouraging -- you're encouraging people to register via e-mail. But now you were saying phone. So what is the best way for people to register if they haven't yet? And also, on this issue of the phone, I know some Americans have complained about not being able to get through. What is your advice there and have you experienced an overload on the system? Obviously you have a lot of calls.


ASSISTANT SECRETARY HARTY: Get a lot of calls. In fact, believe it or not, I call the number myself every -- regularly throughout the day to get my own sense of it. And when we heard some of these kinds of complaints yesterday, we were concerned enough to put more people on. We're just going to expand that as wide as we need to to make sure that people don't wait too long.


But I have to say with all sincerity, it's worth waiting for. I'm going to put more people on. We're going to keep putting more people on. We have quite a large capacity to do this. But please, if you have made that call because you are concerned about somebody who is in a serious situation, and that is why I assume you're calling, please do wait on that line. I regret and will do everything possible to make that wait as short as possible, but it is worth waiting for. We do need that information. We do want to help people get out of country.


So please, I just want to say it in the strongest possible terms, if people are calling you, if people are calling anybody who might read the stories that you write, encourage them to make that call, call again perhaps if they can't get through right away, wait a little while, call again. I have done it myself, as I said, over and over again to make sure that works. And I would say do make the phone call because sometimes the e-mail is working. It is working for us quite well. A number of people are calling -- are contacting us that way. But I think sometimes that people like the rather immediate gratification of talking to somebody right in their ear, so call, please.


Yes.


QUESTION: Are you finding that more people or less people are wanting to leave compared to the number you're predicting?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HARTY: You know, we're just taking people as they come. I think we really -- we will know how many people wanted to leave when this operation is completed. Don't want to give any sense that after we hit a certain number, our own efforts will flag in any way. We just do urge people to contact us just as quickly as they can so we know where they are.


QUESTION: Can I follow on this?


ASSISTANT SECRETARY HARTY: Well, two follow-ups, one and one.


QUESTION: Maura, what happens if someone is not registered, either can't get through, doesn't get through, for whatever reason, shows up dockside? Do they have to be on a list to get on a ship or can they get on with their documentation and passport?


ASSISTANT SECRETARY HARTY: The issue is capacity at this point. Since so many people will have -- will show up at the processing area who already have, if you will, a slot on that ship, people will likely not be able to make it if that ship is already booked. So we really do encourage people to keep trying. If they're able to tell you that's the case, then please have -- you tell us. Matter of fact, I encourage all of you, if you've heard from an individual and you are the only person who has heard from them, help us get them on a ship.


Having said that, I would also like to say that we have a secure area where we are processing people at the dock. I wish I had seen it with my own eyes so I could describe it more accurately for you, but there are a lot of people moving through there. It's also why we ask people please don't go directly to the port. We need to be able to get the people out who we have identified for a given convoy. So please contact the Embassy. Call us here. Please help us do this is an orderly fashion. Because if people show without any sort of previous engagement with us on that subject, there are going to be a lot more people at that port than we can deal with. And I am quite afraid that it will take us even longer to board people if we have to wade through people that way.


Now having that, several people did show -- more than a few people showed during yesterday's operations and they were, of course, then booked on subsequent ships a little bit down the line. But please call the Embassy, don't go to the dock, call the Embassy. Don't go to the dock.


QUESTION: When do you -- do you have like a kind of timeline of when you expect the operation to be complete? I mean, do you have a goal, like by the end of the week or by the weekend or something? Do you have a rough estimate of when you -- given the people that are registered and the pace of registration and the pace of numbers that you're getting out every day? I mean, do you have a kind of rough timeline when you hope to be through?


ASSISTANT SECRETARY HARTY: I am certain that you will think this answer far more glib than I mean it to sound, because I mean it to sound nothing but sincere. We will be done when we are done. We will continue this effort until we have -- until we are certain that everybody who has wanted to leave has left.


QUESTION: Right. But given the --


ASSISTANT SECRETARY HARTY: Excuse me.


QUESTION: I'm sorry.


ASSISTANT SECRETARY HARTY: We have a group of people in southern Lebanon who I just described. We will not move them until we are certain that conditions allow us to do that. I suspect the Embassy had envisioned that we might do that more than once. There might be a need to do it several times. So it is really hard to predict, but what I will do ask all of you again to think about is how important it is to impart the message that the sooner people let us know where they are the better. Obviously, this won't go on indefinitely. But I will not put a date on it and I'm sure my colleagues would agree that we are there to get Americans out of harm's way and we will take as long as it -- as long as we need to do that. But we'd like very much to encourage people to think about this. It's a volatile situation. If I can get you out sooner, we want to get you out sooner.


QUESTION: What do you think the fallout of this whole outrage over the evacuation fees is going to be? Do you think it's going to set a precedent that you won't be able to ask for repayment in the future and what will happen for those people who've already paid and gone out?


ASSISTANT SECRETARY HARTY: No one has paid.


QUESTION: No one?


ASSISTANT SECRETARY HARTY: No. No one has paid anything. The procedure since -- for many, many years, in one form or another, in fact reimbursement has been a subject since pre-World War II days. No one has paid; some people have been asked to sign promissory notes. The Secretary recognized this as an extraordinary case, so I do not regard it as precedent-setting. Today's step that the Secretary took simply removes a potential worry for citizens who are in a difficult situation at the time.


QUESTION: Well, what -- why is it not precedent-setting? Surely, when anybody needs evacuation in an emergency they feel that their situation is as dire as these people feel theirs is.


ASSISTANT SECRETARY HARTY: What we might do in a future situation is speculative at this point.


QUESTION: When people that have flipped over the border into Syria, are you getting any assistance through other governments and/or the Syria Government to handle those Americans to get them out of these conditions?


ASSISTANT SECRETARY HARTY: As you have heard us say before, we are really -- we do not encourage people to go over land on their own at this point. But, yes, of course there are people who have done it. You have covered some of those stories. I am happy to see people who have done that -- they arrived safely home.


Our Embassy will do everything it can to help an American citizen who winds up in Damascus or any other country in the region and needs assistance. We learned several days ago that hotel space is limited, airline capacity to leave Damascus is limited. But rest assured, any American who makes it across the border and contacts the Embassy will be assisted to the greatest extent possible to get home just as safely and quickly as they can.


QUESTION: I've got a couple of questions on the people in southern Lebanon. Do you think at this point that you know how many people want to leave? In other words, that you have everybody collected in one place who actually wants to get out?


ASSISTANT SECRETARY HARTY: I was speaking that that was the Ambassador and also with the USAID Director. They were -- yesterday, they were sort of, of the mind that we would likely do again what we had hoped to do yesterday. It's a fluid situation. Don't know if they will need to, don't know if in fact over -- as we wait to be able to move those people forward, if we will see an incretion of number and more people will come in.


Regrettably, what we also don't know is how many people may have done what the other gentleman suggested -- may have already left of their own volition. So we will just keep beating the bushes as many ways as we can: nongovernmental organizations with which we work, truly word of mouth is great, congressional representatives have been extremely helpful in identifying where people are for us. Everyway that we can glean information, we welcome the opportunity to do so, put them into our planning.


QUESTION: You had planned, if I recall, to do sort of a bus bridge.


ASSISTANT SECRETARY HARTY: Yes.


QUESTION: Okay. Is that still the plan or, given as you say the conditions on the ground, would you switch to helicopters or something?


ASSISTANT SECRETARY HARTY: No, no. That is still the plan. I have not heard anything but that articulated from the Embassy at this point.


QUESTION: So it's just a matter of when they can run the busses?


ASSISTANT SECRETARY HARTY: I think that's true, yeah.


QUESTION: Will the buses have military escort?


ASSISTANT SECRETARY HARTY: You know, I don't know the answer to that question. I don't know the answer to that question. But of course we have worked very closely with Lebanese security forces, so I am sure that the Embassy is taking every precaution that it needs to. This has been the case in every step of the way.


QUESTION: Can I just ask the General now with military escorts for the buses from southern Lebanon?


BGEN BARBERO: I do not know.


MR. CASEY: You guys have got time for just a couple more. Go to Libby and then Elise.


QUESTION: I may have missed this, but how many Americans are in this holding pattern you talked about in southern Lebanon?


ASSISTANT SECRETARY HARTY: It's several hundred at this point.


QUESTION: On the issue of southern Lebanon, you say you talked to the USAID Director. Does the U.S. have programs in that area and are U.S. personnel also stuck in that area?


ASSISTANT SECRETARY HARTY: I do not believe there are any U.S. official personnel in that area right now. When we spoke about it yesterday with both those gentlemen, we were in conversation with a lot of nongovernmental organizations in the area. I'm sorry, I just don't know if there are AID programs there. Maybe we can find that out.


QUESTION: Are you helping those nongovernmental organizations? I would assume are probably still operating?


ASSISTANT SECRETARY HARTY: Well, right now in fact they're helping us contact American citizens in some cases, as are members of Congress, as are private American citizens. There are a number of people there and as I said earlier we are grateful for information just any and every way that we can receive it.


And we thank you all very much for your interest.



Released on July 19, 2006

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

State Department briefing on the situation in Lebanon

US Department of State

Daily Press Briefing
Sean McCormack, Spokesman
Washington, DC
July 12, 2006

"We would urge the Government of Lebanon to speak out about this challenge to their credibility, their sovereignty. This is a challenge from Hezbollah to the Lebanese people and to the Lebanese Government's sovereignty, so we would urge them to speak out about that. We would urge them also to do everything that they can to see that these two soldiers are released immediately and unharmed".

QUESTION: On Hezbollah, we saw the statement by the Secretary earlier today. The Israeli Government is saying that it holds the Lebanese Government responsible for Hezbollah's actions and that the Lebanese Government will bear the consequences. What's the U.S. take on this? And if you could expand a little bit more on the Secretary's conversation with Prime Minister Siniora, what was the message this morning?

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, a couple things. Let me back up a little bit. You have the Secretary's statement in which she condemned the kidnapping of these two Israeli soldiers and the unprovoked attack on the Israeli soldiers. I would also note the fact that as part of this attack the Hezbollah militia launched missiles and fired on innocent civilians and civilian populations.

So we of course condemn this attack in the strongest possible terms and think it is a cynical attempt to provoke a reaction, it's a cynical attempt to try to escalate tensions in a region where tensions are already high as a result of the acts of Hamas, another terrorist group.

So we would call upon all interested countries to do everything that they can to help secure the release not only of the soldier held by Hamas but the two soldiers now held by Hezbollah.

Very clearly the Hezbollah, which is a terrorist organization and a militia that is operating outside the control of the Lebanese Government, is trying to drag the Lebanese people into a situation that is very clearly not in their interest. So as the Secretary said, we are united in our determination to achieve the release of the Israeli soldiers. Syria has a special responsibility to use its influence to support a positive outcome and all sides must act with restraint to resolve this incident peacefully and to protect innocent life and civilian infrastructure.

And that really is her message to leaders in the region, the people with whom she has talked this morning. She's talked to Secretary General Annan. She's also spoken with Foreign Minister Livni. She's spoken with Prime Minister Siniora. She's spoken with Prime Minister Olmert as well. So parties are -- interested parties, including the UN, are going to do everything that they can, we will do everything that we can, to see that this incident is resolved peacefully and without harm to innocent civilians. I think that's in everybody's interest.

But we also very clearly recognize Israel's right to defend itself. This was an unprovoked attack. This was an attack on soldiers who were on Israeli territory, Israeli soil, by a terrorist organization. So clearly it's a serious situation. We would urge the Government of Lebanon to speak out about this challenge to their credibility, their sovereignty. This is a challenge from Hezbollah to the Lebanese people and to the Lebanese Government's sovereignty, so we would urge them to speak out about that. We would urge them also to do everything that they can to see that these two soldiers are released immediately and unharmed.

QUESTION: Can I -- just a couple of follow-ups. When you say that this is a threat to the Lebanese Government's sovereignty, but --

MR. MCCORMACK: It's a challenge. A challenge.

QUESTION: Challenge. Sorry. But Israel has the right to defend itself. Do you see Israel as defending itself from the Lebanese Government or from Hezbollah specifically? And then also, when the Secretary asks Syria to use its influence, what specifically are you looking for Syria to do and how does Iran fit in? What would you like Iran to do in this particular instance?

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, the historical ties between Iran and Hezbollah are well known and Syria also has very close ties to Hezbollah. Again, there's a long history there and it's well known.

I would just point out in terms of mentioning Syria having a particular responsibility, there is that linkage between Damascus and Hezbollah. There's also a linkage between Damascus and Hamas. Khaled Meshal, the, I guess, head of Hamas who resides -- resides in Damascus. So very clearly these are attempts by those in the region who want to derail any possibility of reconciliation between the Israeli Government and the Palestinian people, any attempt to further the cause of peace in the region, further the cause of stability in the region and further the cause of greater prosperity for the people of the region. So Syria has a very particular responsibility in both of these cases to try to bring about a positive outcome; that would be the release of those soldiers unharmed and returned to their families.

I know that states in the region are very concerned about the situation. The Government of Egypt is going to do everything that it can on this case today in trying to urge Damascus as well as others to release those two soldiers, and that is the focus of our efforts.

Yeah, Nicholas.

QUESTION: Sean, back to the challenge that you say Hezbollah poses to the government. Well, the government is clearly siding with Hezbollah today. The Lebanese Ambassador was on CNN within the last hour and he said that the only way to release the Israeli hostages would be for Israel to release Lebanese prisoners. So it seems to me that there is no daylight between the two --

MR. MCCORMACK: I haven't -- I haven't seen those statements, Nicholas.

QUESTION: Okay. Well, what --

MR. MCCORMACK: And we would look for --

QUESTION: -- was the message that the Prime Minister gave to the Secretary this morning?

MR. MCCORMACK: We would look to -- for Prime Minister Siniora to very clearly address what I think the rest of the world views as a challenge, a challenge to the Lebanese people and a challenge to the sovereignty of the Lebanese Government, as well as trying to drag the Lebanese people into the situation. And look, this situation existed before. We all know about UN Security Council Resolution 1559 in which it calls upon the Lebanese Government to exercise certain authorities and certain control over its territory. We again reiterate that 1559 is important. The Lebanese Government has certain responsibilities in that regard.

So we would urge Prime Minister Siniora to speak out. And I don’t believe we have heard from him yet at this point. And I hadn't seen the remarks of this Ambassador.

QUESTION: Oh, the Prime Minister spoke with the Secretary this morning, right?

MR. MCCORMACK: Right. They did speak. But speak out in public.

QUESTION: That's right. And do you -- so are you saying that what happened today is perhaps an indication about the weakness of the Government in Beirut?

MR. MCCORMACK: No, that's not -- that's not what I'm saying. There is a pre-existing condition where you had Hezbollah as a militia operating outside the control of the Government of Lebanon. We all know that. That is a preexisting condition and UN Security Council 1559 was meant to -- is meant to address that situation. And the United States, as well as other countries around the world, have been very supportive of the Government of Lebanon as they go through a political evolution. Let’s remember that they only within the past couple of years emerged from Syrian occupation of Lebanon. And certainly nobody wants to see a return to a situation where the people of Lebanon aren't able to determine their own future.

At this point right now, you have a terrorist organization, a militia, operating outside the control of the government, that is now seeking to influence the direction of Lebanon and the direction of the Lebanese people. We would urge Prime Minister Siniora to address that situation.

QUESTION: (Inaudible) you've made the link between Damascus, Hamas and Hezbollah.

MR. MCCORMACK: Mm-hmm.

QUESTION: Do you see the hostages -- the Israeli hostage that Hamas took and now what's happened today -- as a sort of broader attempt to destabilize the region even further than it already is destabilized?

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, I think it is very clear, Nicholas, that if you look at these actions, these are deliberate attempts to try to escalate tensions in the region. And you look at the timing of it with the kidnapping of the Israeli soldier just outside of Gaza and the killing of two soldiers in that attack, you look at the -- just days later you have this action, this unprovoked action by Hezbollah. Very clearly there are individuals here that are seeking to provoke a negative reaction in the region, that are seeking to forestall any possibility of moving forward towards goals that most peace-loving people share in the region: a better way of life for the people of the region; more peace, more stability in the region. Clearly these are actions by some individuals who have no interest in that. And we have, in our discussions with governments and individuals in the region, sought to encourage them to try to address these immediate issues so we can get back and focus on the objectives that peace-loving people in the region share: the expansion of freedom, the expansion of democracy, the expansion of greater prosperity for the people of the region.

Samir.

QUESTION: Why don't you be more frank and say Syria and Iran behind this Hezbollah thing today? I mean, you had a pretty low focus on Syria than Iran. Don't you think the timing of this today serves Iran's --

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, I can't connect all the dots here, Samir, but clearly there are those historical links, clearly there are those countries in the region that have an interest in cutting off any sort of peaceable reconciliation. They have an interest in taking the region back to the status quo. They have an interest in trying to stop the advance of freedom and democracy in the region. So while I can't draw -- connect any particular dots for you in this case, I think that there are some pretty clear indicators that there are governments in the region who don't have an interest in seeing the spread of democracy. You have Hamas headquartered in Damascus. You have Hezbollah with very clear links, historical links, with Damascus as well as Tehran.

Yeah, Samir, go ahead.

QUESTION: Do you consider the situation need more pressure on Syria or to send back the U.S. Ambassador to Damascus?

MR. MCCORMACK: I don't think our sending back our Ambassador to Damascus is going to influence the Syrian Government. That action, removal of the Ambassador, was taken for good reason.

Look, the spotlight needs to be on the behavior of the Syrian Government in this regard. You have their hosting terrorist organizations in their capital. You have them -- organizations that are resident in their capital seeking to cut off any positive movement forward in terms of peace and security and stability in the region, trying to determine for people living in the Palestinian Authority areas and the people of Lebanon what kind of future they're going to have. I don't think that's what the people living in those areas really want. They don't want their future dictated by people living in other capitals. That's not -- that's certainly not in their interest.

James.

QUESTION: The specific question that Elise Labott raised before had to do with Israel's determination to hold the Lebanese Government to account for this terrorist kidnapping activity. You, just a few moments ago, explicitly stated that Hezbollah acts outside the control of the Lebanese Government. Therefore, is it logical and safe for me to assume that you don't believe that the Lebanese Government should be held accountable for these specific actions by Hezbollah?

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, James, let's focus on who actually committed these acts, and that's Hezbollah. And it is a statement of fact that they do operate outside -- this terrorist organization with its militias operates outside of the control of the Government of Lebanon. That's been one of the focuses of 1559 and the efforts of the international community is to have the Government of Lebanon over time address the situation where you have armed groups operating outside the control of the government. Clearly in any -- in a democracy, in any strong, functioning democracy, you can't have armed militias operating outside of the control of the government, so it's a situation that we've talked to them about. I can't speak to what exactly the motivations of Hezbollah were in this regard, but I think one can certainly assume from their actions and the timing of their actions that they're seeking to provoke a reaction, that they are trying to drag the people of Lebanon into a situation that clearly is not in their interest.

QUESTION: Has the United States Government discerned any progress on the part of the Lebanese Government in fulfilling that particular provision of 1559 that calls for the dismantling of terrorist groups and the disarming of terrorist groups like Hezbollah in its midst over the last year?

MR. MCCORMACK: James, I think there's still a lot of work to be done in that regard. I think today's events show that. But let's keep the focus on where it needs to be. We want to see the return of these two soldiers immediately and certainly we want to do everything that we can as part of the international community, working also with the United Nations, to help the Government of Lebanon move forward to fully implement Security Council Resolution 1559. So that certainly is going to be where our -- the focus of our efforts over the coming days and weeks.

Michel.

QUESTION: Is Assistant Secretary Welch planning to go to Beirut?

MR. MCCORMACK: At this point he doesn't have any plans to go to Beirut. He was in Cairo earlier today. Currently he is in Amman for meetings -- he and Deputy National Security Advisor Elliott Abrams -- on a prescheduled trip to the region.

Go ahead.

QUESTION: One more thing about -- you've asked this question. Hassan Nasrallah has said today that there is no power in the world can release the Israeli soldiers, that indirect negotiations between Hezbollah and Israel and the swap of prisoners are the only solution.

MR. MCCORMACK: I think the solution here is their immediate and unconditional release. I think that's what the international community is looking for.

Yes, sir.

QUESTION: Did I hear you correctly to say that among the calls by the Secretary was to Prime Minister Olmert?

MR. MCCORMACK: Yes.

QUESTION: Could you expand in any way on that? And specifically what I would wonder about it is, as I understand the gist of what you just said, there are certain forces that would like to see escalation, conflagration and so forth, so is there any viewpoint that by Israel launching a couple of hot wars on its borders that, you know, this is playing into the hands of certain forces in the region? And is there any concern about, you know, the killing of civilians, the things spinning out of control and so forth? Is this strategy an appropriate response?

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, the Secretary had a paper statement that went out. I don't have anything to add to that.

In terms of her call with Prime Minister Olmert, I think that certainly she wanted to talk to him about the current situation. She wanted to express our deep concern about the fact that these two -- that Israel has suffered from an unprovoked attack and that two of its citizens, its soldiers, have been kidnapped as a result of that attack. So that was the basic gist of the conversation. Beyond that, I'm not going to get really into any more details of it.

Yes, sir.

QUESTION: Israel is holding 9,000 Palestinians. Many of them are political prisoners. More than 300 are young boys. There have been no charges and no trials. What is your position on that?

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, you know, look, there was a point when President Abbas and the Israeli Government were working together on the release of prisoners. There was a point when the Palestinian Authority, President Abbas and the Israeli Government were working together on the withdrawal from the Gaza. That happened. That was successful. You don't have that right now. Why don't you have that? You don't have that because you have a terrorist organization that is heading the Government of the Palestinian Authority that is not a partner for peace. So you don't have, at this point, because of the actions of Hamas, you do not have the ability to have that dialogue where you might -- you might be able to talk about the release of some of those prisoners.

So let's keep the focus on where it needs to be. The focus needs to be on Hamas taking actions: releasing the Israeli soldier and taking the steps that have been required of it, that have been laid out for it by the international community. This isn't just a requirement by the United States Government. This is a requirement of the international community.

Nicholas.

QUESTION: Sean, surely you don't think that Israel should negotiate with Hezbollah on the release of these prisons, some of those prisoners, but do you think Israel should negotiate with the Lebanese Government on the release of some of the prisoners that are currently in Israel?

MR. MCCORMACK: We think that the two Israeli soldiers need to be released immediately, unconditionally and unharmed.

QUESTION: On what Israel said today that what happened is a declaration of war is -- you first said that you hope this will be resolved peacefully and then you said that Israel can, you know, has the right to defend itself. And I don't see how it can reconcile peaceful solution with Israel defending itself. I mean, isn't there a point when Israel will have to take military action that would not be peaceful?

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, Israel is going to take its own decisions about what is in the interest of the Israeli people and its self-defense. Those are for the Israeli -- the Israeli Government to make.

Certainly every -- I think it's just a statement of fact that the international community -- we would like to see this situation resolved peacefully, despite the fact that Israel was provoked and it was attacked. And the way to go about that, the way to possibly arrive at that solution, is for these soldiers to be released. But we as always have said -- we repeat it -- that Israel has a right to defend itself. It was -- this was an unprovoked terrorist attack.

QUESTION: Should they regard this as a declaration of war? Do you agree with their assessment?

MR. MCCORMACK: You know, again, we want to see -- we want to see the situation resolved. We hope that it can be resolved in a way that there's not further escalation of tensions in the region.