ABC News Online - Reuters/AFP - 17/07/2006

Air raids ... Envoys have urged both sides to work to end civilian suffering in Lebanon. (AFP)
 
Middle East compromise urged as onslaught continues
United Nations and European Union envoys have appealed for the release of kidnapped Israeli soldiers, during visits to Beirut to try to ease the conflict between Israel and its neighbours.

Israeli aircraft have blasted Lebanon, killing 17 people, after Hezbollah rockets struck deeper into Israel than ever before, with no diplomatic initiative in sight to end the fighting.

An offensive into Gaza, which began after Hamas militants kidnapped Israeli Corporal Gilad Shalit, is continuing; the eight-storey Palestinian Foreign Ministry building in Gaza City was flattened by an Israeli air raid this morning.

In Beirut, senior United Nations (UN) diplomat Vijay Nambiar urged both sides to do what is necessary to end civilian suffering.

He said he supported Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora`s call for a cease-fire.

"The United Nations supports the Lebanese Government and the Prime Minister," he said.

"We support the call for a cease-fire and his aim of exercising full authority over the entire country.

"We call for the release of the captives as part of a solution to this conflict."

European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana, speaking after talks with Mr Siniora, appealed for "those who have the possibility of influence" to press for an end to the violence and for the release of two Israeli soldiers kidnapped by Hezbollah on Wednesday.

European Union foreign ministers meet today for talks set to be dominated to the spiralling violence in the Middle East, but also to discuss Iran`s nuclear program and the peacekeeping mission in Sudan.

Amid disagreement at the United Nations and leaders of the Group of Eight major industrial powers, meeting in Russia, the ministers are expected to reiterate calls for restraint rather than push all-out for a cease-fire.

The G8 leaders have called for "extremists" to halt Middle East attacks, but also offered "full support" for a UN special mission to the region, and proposed that the UN Security Council consider "an international security/monitoring presence" on the Israel-Lebanon border.

They also said Israel had a right to self-defence, putting the onus on Hezbollah to end its attacks and release the two Israeli soldiers.

How that force may be put together, and whether it would be armed, was not specified.

The text of the G8 accord did not name Iran and Syria as backers of the militant groups behind the shelling and abductions, as the United States had wanted.

UN secretary-general Kofi Annan is to address the summit today before the gathering in the Baltic city of St Petersburg draws to a close.

Threats

The latest wave of Israeli bombing destroyed two army posts on the northern Lebanese coast, killing nine Lebanese soldiers, and damaging the homes of Hezbollah officials in the east of the country, killing five people in over 45 strikes on the sixth day of violence.

Three more people died in strikes south of Beirut. The raids also targeted infrastructure installations, petrol stations and factories, security sources said.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Hezbollah`s attack on Haifa would have far-reaching consequences for Lebanon, while the Lebanese guerrilla group threatened more.

Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said the attack on Haifa, Israel`s third-biggest city, was retaliation for its killing of civilians and promised more "surprises".

"We are just at the beginning," he said.

Australia, France, the United States, Britain and a host of other nations are scrambling to evacuate their citizens from Lebanon.

Foreigners have fled in thousands of cars to neighbouring Syria since Thursday.