Condi Feels Lebanon’s Pain

In her surprise visit with Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora in Beirut on Monday, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice “assured a largely powerless leader that America was sympathetic to the suffering of his people, though it has stopped short of pressuring Israel to let up on its campaign against militants.” (story–quote on p. 2)

N.Y. Times:

Ms. Rice?s visit with Mr. Abbas on the West Bank had echoes of her surprise meeting with Mr. Siniora in Beirut on Monday. In both cases, she assured a largely powerless leader that America was sympathetic to the suffering of his people, though it has stopped short of pressuring Israel to let up on its campaign against militants.

Ms. Rice pointedly characterized Mr. Abbas as the ?duly elected president? of the Palestinian Authority and said ?the Palestinian people have had to live too long? under harsh conditions.

But just as pointedly, Mr. Rice did not respond to Mr. Abbas?s urgent appeal for cease-fires in region, to ease what he said was suffering ?beyond the capacity of any human being to endure.?

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