| Posted late Sunday, moved to Monday. AoS. |
"We requested a ceasefire to allow for the cessation of hostilities, to allow for the rebuilding of the forces of Lebanon,” Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said today after a meeting of more than an hour with Mr Bush and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Mr Bush has resisted calling for an immediate ceasefire, saying Israel has the right to defend itself and a cessation of hostilities must address the root causes of the conflict, including Hezbollah's attacks on Israel and abduction of Israeli soldiers. Accused by some Democrats of moving too slowly on the crisis, Ms Rice departed today evening for Israel and the Palestinian territories and will go to Rome on Wednesday to discuss the crisis with European and Arab officials, including officials from Lebanon.
Prince Saud said he brought a letter to Mr Bush from Saudi King Abdullah seeking ways to end the bloodshed in Lebanon. The Saudis had requested the meeting with Mr Bush. Prince Saud said the letter called for an immediate ceasefire, the start of a prisoner exchange between Hezbollah and Israel and delaying the dismantling of Hezbollah for now. The Saudis did not object to an international force deployed in southern Lebanon.
| You'd almost think the Saoodis were on the side of the Hezbies with those talking points. |