The move comes in the wake of its airstrike in the Lebanese village of Qana that killed at least 56 people, most of whom were women and children.

  • This is only a temporary pause — a concession the U.S. extracted from Israel in the wake of withering international criticism. The Israeli attacks will likely continue apace for at least 10 more days, and perhaps more.

    • AP:

    Israel suspended air attacks on south Lebanon for 48 hours starting early Monday in the face of widespread outrage over an airstrike on a house that killed 56 Lebanese, almost all of them women and children.

    The announcement ? made by a State Department spokesman with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Jerusalem ? appeared to reflect American pressure on Israel to make some concession after the strike.

    In addition to suspending air attacks, Israel will also allow the opening of corridors for Lebanese civilians who want to leave south Lebanon for the north and would maintain land, sea and air corridors for humanitarian assistance, officials said.

    Israeli officials confirmed Prime Minister Ehud Olmert agreed to an immediate 48-hour halt in the airstrikes beginning at 2 a.m. Monday while the military concludes its inquiry into the attack on the south Lebanese village of Qana. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to reporters. Link

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