Prime Minister John Howard has blamed Hezbollah for starting the current crisis between Lebanon and Israel, saying the group provoked the Jewish state into "self-defence" by going across the border and seizing soldiers.
Speaking on the ABC's Insiders program, Mr Howard echoed comments by the US President George W Bush, who said the violence started because Hezbollah kidnapped two soldiers. "You could hardly have had a more provocative act," said Mr Howard.
Attaboy John, point that out to the world, some parts of Europe have trouble understanding that. | He says Hezbollah is the "plaything of Syria", and that he understands the Israeli position. "Much as I deplore the violence ... one has to understand Israel's position, Israel has the right of self-defence," he said. "This country has been under constant attack for almost 50 years, since it was founded, and there is still an unwillingness on the part of many in the region to accept Israel's right to exist.
"Until there is unconditional acceptance, and also an unconditional acceptance by others of the need for a Palestinian state, separate to Israel of course, we're never going to have any lasting settlement." |