In a First, Bush Directs Criticism at Israel

Bush said neither Israel nor Hezbollah should escalate the month-old war. Despite Bush’s comments, Israel today decided to launch a massive ground attack into southern Lebanon.

Washington Post:

The White House said Wednesday neither Israel nor Hezbollah should escalate their month-old war, as Israel decided to widen its ground invasion in southern Lebanon.

White House press secretary Tony Snow said the U.S. message was for both sides, though his remarks came after Israel’s Security Cabinet voted to expand the war effort in an attempt to deal further blows to Hezbollah.

“We are working hard now to bridge differences between the United States position and some of the positions of our allies,” Snow told reporters in Texas, where President Bush was vacationing. “We want an end to violence and we do not want escalations.”

Meanwhile, rifts over a plan to stop the fighting delayed approval of a resolution at the U.N. Security Council. The U.S. and France were offering competing versions.

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