At the United Nations, Lebanon’s Acting Foreign Minister Tarek Mitri criticized Israel and the United States for rejecting an immediate ceasefire.

• Tarek Mitri: “We are disappointed with the fact that the United States of America did not listen to our call for an immediate ceasefire. Our prime Minister was clear in his telephone call with Secretary Rice yesterday afternoon that this is not a time for negotiations, this is a time for the ceasefire and then the negotiations will resume.”

Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Tarek Mitri also called on the international community to investigate the Israeli bombing in Qana that killed about 57 civilians including 37 children.

• Tarek Mitri: “I would say all Lebanese perceive this to be an unjustified collective punishment. And no collective punishment is justified, that is imposed on the civilian population. The spilled blood of the children in Qana deserves more much more than expressions of regret.”