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The Situation Room
Rice Travels to Middle East
Aired July 24, 2006 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks very much, Lou. And to our viewers, you're in THE SITUATION ROOM where new pictures and information are arriving all the time. Standing by CNN reporters across the United States and around the world to bring you tonight's top stories.
Happening now -- America's top diplomat in the crisis zone in the Middle East. It's 2:00 a.m. Tuesday here in Jerusalem where Condoleezza Rice is preparing for more high-level talks after kicking off her mission in Lebanon. She's promising relief but is she getting results?
Also this hour, we're live on the Israeli and Hezbollah front lines. Both sides now launching new attacks and shedding more blood. I will ask the former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the conflict and any hope for a cease-fire.
And ending the warfare is the first challenge, but the next one may be just as difficult and also deadly. Who will be up to the task of standing between Israel and Hezbollah and stabilizing the Middle East?
I'm Wolf Blitzer in Jerusalem and you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
The United States now is just hours away from delivering a first wave of supplies to battle scarred Lebanon. The Bush administration is promising $30 million of humanitarian assistance and the president is ordering U.S. helicopters and ships to deliver it to Lebanon right away. Israeli ground forces pushed deeper into southern Lebanon today, battling their way to a key Hezbollah stronghold.
Attacks launched by both sides claim new casualties. Israel now puts its death toll at 39. Lebanon reports 375 of its people killed in this nearly two-week conflict. The Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is right now here in Jerusalem after launching her shuttle diplomacy mission in Beirut. A source tells CNN that Lebanese officials did not find their talks with Rice very encouraging.
Some pockets of U.S. citizens and other Westerners still are believed trapped in villages south of Tyre. That's in the southern part of Lebanon, but the U.S. military says most Americans who wanted to flee Lebanon have indeed been evacuated. And now troops are turning their attention to a new humanitarian operation.
We have correspondents covering every angle of this crisis in the Middle East. Our chief national correspondent John King is here in Jerusalem covering Secretary Rice's mission. Our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson is in Beirut. But let's begin this hour with fresh fighting on the border.
Our chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour is near the front lines in northern Israel -- Christiane.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INT'L CORRESPONDENT: Well Wolf, this evening, from the early evening until about now, we have heard not far from where we are in the town of Metullah, just across the fence, there are some small Shia villages there in southern Lebanon and they have been pounded really for the last several hours by air and by artillery. We can hear. We can see huge plumes, massive plumes of smoke and we can see the light flashes from the airdrop and from the artillery.
So that seems to be an action that has really picked up over the last several hours. Earlier today in another part of the border conflict, we saw infantry troops, Israeli infantry troops putting on their war paint and going in -- preparing to go in across the border to support the other battalions who are in there already. We've been told that it is fierce, face-to-face fighting in some areas in and around a town called Bint Jubail, which is about four kilometers we're told inside the Lebanese border.
And the Israelis call it a Hezbollah capital, a big Hezbollah stronghold in southern Lebanon. They tell us that they're making progress, even though they are taking casualties. Israelis have taken two at least dead today in the conflict and several more wounded. They say Hezbollah are taking more casualties.
They also say that they're pushing back now, Hezbollah positions and military capability much further back they say than they have been before which they say makes the Katyusha rocket fire less accurate, less deep inside Israel. The strategy is they tell us to completely clear the border area of Hezbollah, to dislodge Hezbollah from the border in order to achieve the overall objective, they say of weakening Hezbollah around the rest of Lebanon -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Christiane Amanpour on the scene for us in northern Israel. Thanks very much. From the military confrontation to diplomacy, the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her mission to try to end this crisis. John King is here in Jerusalem. He's covering the secretary's visit. John, a very hectic day for the secretary beginning with a surprise earlier this morning.
JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hectic day and a reflection of how delicate this challenge is. The surprise was an unannounced stop in Beirut to try to give both political and the humanitarian support to the very fragile Lebanese government that many, even people in that government believe could fall if the fighting continues and continues.
And then yet by nightfall here in Israel to signal U.S. support for the Israeli government and the Israeli military operations, Wolf that most U.S. officials believe even as this diplomacy begins will go on at least for another week, maybe longer. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KING (voice-over): A high-profile mission with a dramatic beginning. Secretary of state brushing aside security concerns to visit Beirut and offer support to Lebanon's fragile government.
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: (inaudible) my first task here in Lebanon to express our desire to urgently (inaudible) and end the violence and make life better for the Lebanese people.
KING: While Secretary Rice promised $30 million in U.S. humanitarian aid, she did not give Lebanon's prime minister what he wanted most, a White House commitment to push Israel for an immediate cease-fire?
(SHOTS)
KING: Despite mounting international pressure, the White House says conditions are not right for a cease-fire and U.S. officials expect Israeli military operations to continue for another week, maybe more.
NICHOLAS BURNS, UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE: If you stop the fighting right now, you'd hand Hezbollah a major victory because they'd be positioned just north of Israel. They would be able to fire those rockets at any time.
KING: The Beirut stop included dinner with leaders of last year's so-called Cedar Revolution, pro-democracy forces who warn their government could collapse if pushed to confront Hezbollah. Secretary of Rice also met with a key Shiite political figure, Parliament speaker Nabih Berri, explaining the U.S. position to a Lebanese leader with close ties to Hezbollah.
Suffice to say it didn't go well. A television station owned by the speaker said no progress was made because of what it called unacceptable U.S. demands.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): In summary, we conclude that the conflict is not about the two soldiers kidnapped by Hezbollah, but rather a preplanned, American-Israeli scheme to attack Lebanon, its unity and sovereignty.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (inaudible)
UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: (inaudible)
KING: Anti-American demonstrations in Beirut were another reminder of the administration's credibility challenge in the Arab world.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KING: U.S. officials are rejecting the notions and especially those Lebanese reports that things went badly in Lebanon. They say they thought the talks went OK at least. It's very interesting tonight both Israeli and U.S. officials saying they have some optimism that perhaps when we get to the next round of negotiations in Rome at mid week, there could be an agreement on a cease-fire eventually and an international force to go into Lebanon eventually but most think, Wolf, that will take weeks to get a force up and running. And so in the meantime the key U.S. message to Israel is continue your operations, but be more careful if you can in picking your targets. Try to limit civilian casualties.
BLITZER: I know you're speaking with members of her delegation traveling around the region right now. Karen Hughes, one of president's closest friends and advisers, she's involved. How worried are they about the so-called Arab street because of what Israel is doing in Lebanon?
KING: It's quite interesting she is here because that's her mission. The president put her at the State Department to be the outreach person to the Arab world, public diplomacy to the Arab world. Clearly, the Bush administration's image in the Arab world is terrible at this point. I can't -- you could find worse words than terrible for it. The interesting part so far is she's traveling with Secretary Rice, but she has not spoken one word in public so far.
BLITZER: John King thanks very much. John is going to be covering the secretary's visit throughout the region. John King here in Jerusalem. When Secretary Rice went to Beirut earlier today, some officials welcomed her with open arms while some in the streets met her with open contempt.
Our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson is joining us now live with the latest details -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INT'L CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, some of that content because people here don't think that the united states is doing enough to help in the relief effort with the hundred of thousands of displaced people. That announcement from the State Department coming shortly after Secretary of State Rice left $30 million worth of aid coming in large humanitarian shipments. Two shipments that will help people about 10,000 people for three months, each of those two shipments, 10,000 people for three months.
The supplies will be humanitarian, medical and relief supplies. They hope to be brining blankets and other necessary goods, plastic sheeting as well. But that a clear indication the U.S. wanted to show the Lebanese people they're here to help, but when Secretary Rice swept up this road here beside me earlier today, it was amid very tight security.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(SOUNDS)
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Racing through Beirut streets a security cabblecade for Condoleezza Rice, although you don't see it from this angle, half a dozen SUVs filled with plain clothes U.S. Secret Service. The windows down, their weapons pointing out at the street. No chance was being taken with Rice's visit. (on camera): The Secretary of State Rice's visit was kept a closely guarded secret. Security on the street stepped up and the roads closed off to normal traffic.
(SOUNDS)
ROBERTSON (voice-over): But only a handful of protesters showed up. No match for the security. They blasted Rice and the U.S., accusing them of backing Israel. In a predominantly Christian neighborhood, the talk in the cafes was disarm the Shiite guerrilla group Hezbollah but allow their political party to survive.
DORI CHAMMOUN, HEAD, NATIONAL LIBERAL PARTY: Sure, we don't want them to be completely destroyed because they represent the Shia and the Shia is a very important government in Lebanon.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Politically, we must press Iran and Damascus in order -- because they are the one who are controlling Hezbollah.
ROBERTSON: It was views like those that Rice got when she heard from the anti-Syrian coalition of Christians, Sunni Muslims, and Jews, all powerless to reign in Hezbollah, but agreeing after listening to Rice's plans that the fighting is still far from over.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The fighting is going to continue (inaudible) moment that one of the two is defeated.
ROBERTSON: Hezbollah or Israel.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hezbollah or Israel.
ROBERTSON: Whether either side can really be defeated on the battlefield is not clear. The view on the streets here, like that of the politicians, the violence will continue.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
ROBERTSON: Once Rice leaves, Marcell (ph), the corner storekeeper told me, the bombing will start again.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
ROBERTSON: Beirut was relatively quiet. Marcell (ph) was doing good business. But in the south, the barrages of Hezbollah missiles fired into Israel and the Israeli bombs dropped in Lebanon never stopped.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTSON: And here in Beirut it is still relatively quiet. This is perhaps the quietest day for bombing that we have had so far in the last 12 days, Wolf.
BLITZER: And very quickly, Nic, you've spoken to Hezbollah officials, do they really believe this is a fight to the death, either Israel lives or Hezbollah lives but they both not going to live? ROBERTSON: The definition of live or die is very different. Hezbollah, as far as they're concerned, if they (inaudible), even if they're bloodied, even if they lose some of their military structure, they will still come out of this if their leadership is in tact looking among Lebanese eyes and perhaps among eyes in the rest of the Arab world as if they did very well because they went into war with Israel.
They bloodied Israel and didn't get completely decimated. That would be winning for them. Losing for Israel would be going to war, losing soldiers. This is in the assessment of Hezbollah of course. For Israel to go to war against them and not to be able to militarily crush them. And then for Israel, that would reflect badly on them and that's the assessment here -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Nic Robertson on the scene for us in Beirut. Nic thank you for your excellent reporting. Jack Cafferty is in New York. He's standing by with the "Cafferty File" -- Jack.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Wolf, Israel just might find support for its cause in some very unlikely places. Arab governments like Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt have actually criticized Hezbollah for attacking Israel and blamed it for provoking the massive offensive underway in southern Lebanon.
Some experts say these governments want to weaken and disarm Hezbollah and they're concerned about Iran's growing influence in the region. Youssef Ibrahim (ph) is a former Middle East correspondent for "The New York Times" is actually optimistic. He's what he had to say in a recent column.
"It seems -- quoting here -- that when Israel decided to go to the war against the priestly Mafia of Hamas and Hezbollah, it opened a whole new chapter in the greater Middle East discourse and Israel is finding to its surprise that a vast not so silent majority of Arabs agrees that enough is enough."
So here's the question. Should Arab countries be supporting Israel's fight against Hezbollah? E-mail your thoughts to CaffertyFile@CNN.com. Go to CNN.com/CaffertyFile. Interesting stuff -- Wolf.
BLITZER: A lot of us remember his brilliant reporting from Beirut during the civil war, Youssef Ibrahim (ph), formerly of "The New York Times". Jack, thank you very much.
The human cost of war, casualties on both sides. We're going to take you inside two hospitals where Israelis and Lebanese are racing against time to save lives. Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Paula Newton will report.
Plus, civilian casualties and urban bombings. Has Israel gone too far? I'll ask the former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu here in Jerusalem.
Also, fighting for peace. Is a multinational force a long-term solution or simply a short-term fix? We're taking a much closer look. We're live in Jerusalem. Stay with us. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: On this 13th day of death and destruction, Israel and Hezbollah continue clashing with the toll on both sides growing. Our Paula Newton is on the Israeli-Lebanese border with details of a bloody battle.
PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, military sources tell CNN that they will expand the ground offensive in Bint Jubail in the next few hours and days. They call that town Hezbollah's terror capital.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON (voice-over): It's been like this all day. The ambulance rolls in, young soldiers are carried out. For many it is their first taste of combat and Hezbollah is making sure it's a bitter one.
DR. OSCAR EMBON, REBECCA SIEFF HOSPITAL: Gunshots, shrapnel, burns, fractures, everything.
NEWTON: The hospital's director says in northern Israel they have been told to be ready to treat more and more casualties.
EMBON: We have a new facility, a new emergency room (inaudible) trauma unit that it is capable to treat a large number of soldiers.
(SOUNDS)
NEWTON: Soldiers that round the clock are now engaged by guerrilla warfare. As the Israelis push deeper into Lebanon, they are hit harder by Hezbollah. They are scattered by mortar shells. This is now the battle for Bint Jubail. The Israelis call it a terror capital. Just on this day, two soldiers dead, at least dozens others injured by Hezbollah fire power.
(on camera): The Israeli forces are convinced that there are high value targets to be had in Bint Jubail, so they have continued to pound it with artillery. If you can look in the hills behind me where you can see that smoke, they claim that just today they have taken out several rocket launchers and wiped out some Hezbollah militants.
(voice-over): And even with big guns in the air...
(SHOTS)
NEWTON: ... the Israeli defense forces are vulnerable. Fresh from battle, this attacked helicopter with technical problems bursts into a hellish inferno after it crash-landed on power lines in Israel. Flares burning, ammunition exploding, the rescue was on but it was too late. Two pilots died and the point was made. Even in the air, the threat of Hezbollah hovers. Nineteen-year-old Yotam Morris tells me how his battalion went into Bint Jubail, guns blazing to rescue an injured soldier. Hezbollah fighters he tells me were just waiting for them. CORPORAL YOTAM MORRIS, ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES: They have almost everything. They have anti-tank missiles. They have RPGs. They have lots of equipment. They have everything. They have mines. They have everything that they need against us.
NEWTON (on camera): Pretty scary?
MORRIS: Very scary, actually.
NEWTON (voice-over): Some of these soldiers told us Lebanon is the last place they want to be, but military sources tell CNN the ground offensive will push further and deeper to likely be stopped not by Hezbollah, but by the diplomatic clock now ticking away.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: Wolf, and you know a lot of the Israeli soldiers that are injured are from this northern Israeli area and still support for the war runs very high, in some cases, as high as 90 percent -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Paula Newton reporting from the front lines. The casualties of the chaos are filling hospital beds and morgues across this region. Our senior medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta is tracking conditions at the hospitals.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Wolf, I'm in Larnaca, Cyprus having just spent a few days in Beirut on my way to Israel, really remarkable situation regarding the hospitals so far in Beirut. We're hearing similar things about Israel as well.
There are two hospitals in Beirut that we visited, Mount Lebanon and Sahill Hospital. Mount Lebanon Hospital, they actually had to take all their patients underground to try and keep them safe from missiles, for the patients and for the staff as well. They're taking care of large numbers of injured as well as the existing patients as well.
Sahill Hospital actually just 100 meters or so away from a large bridge that was targeted. As a result, the hospital was rendered completely useless. One of the most heart wrenching images I saw was a nursery, seven basinets in that nursery, destroyed by a bomb, by a missile that landed not too far away. Those babies -- those patients, everyone in the hospital evacuated.
The hospital no longer able to be used. This is a theme I see over and over again, Wolf. Also, if you think about the vast majority of people, they may not be physically injured, but there's a large degree of mental illness, anxiety, terror that seems to be increasing. We go to Israel we're going to be visiting Rambam Hospital, West Galilee Hospital as well.
That's another hospital that's had to go underground. Wolf, you know it's a slippery slope. On one hand, you want these hospitals close to the action so they can take care of the injured as they come off the field, but you also don't want them too close because they become targets themselves. We'll be reporting from Israel later on tonight. Back to you.
BLITZER: Sanjay Gupta, any of these hospitals whether in Lebanon or in Israel dealing with these who have been so badly injured, it is a heart wrenching story indeed.
And still to come tonight in THE SITUATION ROOM, on the front lines and beyond. John Roberts reports from Israel's border with Lebanon. Also I will speak with the former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu here in Jerusalem. Will there be an end to the bombing campaign any time soon? I will ask him.
Plus, shuttle diplomacy, Condoleezza Rice in Beirut and in Jerusalem, find out what the Lebanese think of her mission. I will speak with someone in Beirut who spoke with her earlier today.
We're live in Jerusalem and you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back. We're live in Jerusalem, covering the crisis in the Middle East, much more of our complete coverage coming up.
CNN's Zain Verjee joining us right now from Washington with a quick look at some other important stories making news. Hi Zain.
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, Wolf. Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi says his country was close to building a nuclear bomb before it abandoned its nuclear program in 2003. Colonel Gadhafi made the announcement in a speech yesterday. It's the first time any Libyan officials confirmed that the North African country had been trying to build a nuclear weapon. Libya began allowing weapons inspectors into the country in 2003 to repair relations with the West.
Angry words in a Baghdad courtroom today, the chief judge of the trial of Saddam Hussein accused defense attorneys of wasting time and he accused Saddam's half brother of having been violent since childhood. The former Iraqi leader remains hospitalized because of a hunger strike. Today the court heard closing arguments from attorneys defending Saddam's half brother, Barzan Ibrahim.
U.S. Coast Guard and the Alaskan National Guard helicopters are heading to the coast of Alaska to rescue 22 crewmembers that are stranded aboard a massive Asian cargo ship. The Cougar Ace has rolled nearly onto its side and it's taking on water off the islands there. It's not clear what caused the ship to start listing. It's also leaking fuel. One crewmember is reported injured with a broken leg.
California is under a stage two-energy emergency. Scorching temperatures for the eighth day in a row have pushed the state's electricity supply to the brink. Some businesses are voluntarily cutting their power usage to try and head off rolling blackouts. Utility crews are working to restore power to thousands of residents whose lights went off this weekend. There have been at least three heat-related deaths in Fresno County -- Wolf. BLITZER: Thank you Zain. Just ahead, civilian casualties and urban bombings. Have the Israelis used excessive force? And when will the fighting come to an end? I'll speak with the former Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu here in Jerusalem.
Plus, Condoleezza Rice on a mission in the Middle East. Can she help negotiate an end to the violence? We'll find out how top Lebanese officials are reacting to efforts. I will speak with someone who met with her in Beirut earlier in the day. Stay with us. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: You're in THE SITUATION ROOM where new pictures and information are arriving all the time. Happening now -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice here in Jerusalem for high-level talks on the warfare in the region. She launched her diplomat mission earlier in Beirut expressing concern for the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon.
The United Nations is making a desperate appeal for nearly $150 million to help people in Lebanon. The U.N. relief coordinator says right now his teams do not have safe access to people in the crossfire and they are in need of help. President Bush is promising $30 million in humanitarian assistance to Lebanon right away and he's ordering U.S. helicopters and ships to deliver it.
I'm Wolf Blitzer in Jerusalem. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
The former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu joins me here in Jerusalem in just a moment.
But first, let's go to the front lines. The fighting between Israel and Hezbollah continues. Our senior national correspondent John Roberts is near the border along the lines between Israel and Lebanon. He's joining us now live with the latest. John?
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN SR. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Wolf. We're just a few hundred yards away from the Lebanese border and we have seen tonight what may be a new development in this cross- border conflict. Israeli jets have been flying overhead pounding targets in Shiite villages not too far away from here. And as well, Israeli artillery has opened up a new barrage on some Shiite towns that are just maybe about a mile, mile and a half away from us now.
A little earlier today, we went down to a valley which is fairly close to the border between Israeli and Lebanon. Some distance away from where we are now and spent a few hours with one of those artillery units.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS (voice-over): Late into the night, this artillery battery close to the border opens up on the Lebanese battlegrounds. It is a deafening roar that shakes the hills and valleys from miles around and no one could even guess when it might stop. (on camera): The guns along the Lebanese border never rest, 24 hours a day, they keep reigning shells deep into Lebanese territory. Nighttime brings no respite either. In fact, if anything, it only steps up the pace.
(voice-over): They are firing in support of Israeli forces on the other side of this ridge line. Past the hilltop town of Maroun al-Ras into Bint Jubail, Hezbollah's southern stronghold, scene of the latest intense fighting.
"It is a difficult battle," says Israeli army spokesman Doron Spielman. "In a conflict that breaks the traditional wars, not about territory, but ideology."
DORON SPIELMAN, CAPTAIN, IDF: Let's just pretend we do nothing now. Six years down the road, seven years down the road, these missiles from Hezbollah will be hitting Europe, North America. This is part of the same conflict of the U.S. against bin Laden. This is the same war that we're up against today. This is the global war on terror and we happen to be the democratic core in the Middle East and therefore we're in the front of this war.
ROBERTS: Israelis are determined that this will be a turning point in history. So they send the bomb-laden F-16s back into Lebanon again and again, joined by Cobra gunships that shoot rockets on Hezbollah positions.
And they are taking casualties. The pilot and gunner of this apache helicopter died when their gunship went down. The Israeli military says it was mechanical problems. Hezbollah claims it shot the helicopter down.
And what of the dead on the other side of the border? The hundreds of thousands displaced by the constant shelling? Nadav Bigal, a reservist commands one of the Israeli artillery units. He understands people are suffering on the other side.
NADAV BIGAL, ISRAELI RESERVIST: Sometimes we think that they are suffering more than us. But still, we are on this side and we have to do what we are told.
ROBERTS: For Bigal, this war can't be over fast enough. Like many other Israelis, he too wants change.
BIGAL: Peace, if we can. But you know, I'm kind of skeptical.
ROBERTS (on camera): What is peace?
BIGAL: Peace is no fighting and no reason to fight where no -- no problem and everybody happy with everybody and no more fighting and killing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: But Wolf, at present, that wish seems like it's a fairly elusive one. Back to you. BLITZER: All right, John, thanks very much, excellent reporting by John Roberts along the border with Lebanon.
How long should Israel take to accomplish its mission against Hezbollah?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Joining us here in Jerusalem, the former Israel prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. He's now the leader of the opposition Likud in Israel's Knesset.
But you support the government of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in this operation?
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, FORMER ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Absolutely. In this time of war, when Israel is facing rocket attacks by Hezbollah terrorists, everybody in Israel is united. There is no opposition and there is no coalition. We are one people.
BLITZER: Let's talk about the criticism that's coming in against Israel. Jan Egeland, as you know, the U.N. emergency relief coordinator, he says that the infrastructure, the civilian infrastructure in Lebanon, much of it has been destroyed. The amount of damage to civilian housing and so on is far beyond what we normally see in wars. He says it has to be more proportionate. The criticism is it's one thing to go after Hezbollah, but it's another thing to destroy Lebanon's infrastructure.
NETANYAHU: Hezbollah is responsible for all damage on both sides of the border. They're deliberately targeting Israeli civilians, but they're also deliberately hiding and placing their rockets among Lebanese civilians. Israeli is trying to surgically take them out, but obviously some civilian casualties are inevitable, as is physical damage.
But Mr. Egeland says that this is not common in wars? Is that he's saying?
BLITZER: That's what he's saying.
NETANYAHU: Yes. I agree. It is not.
BLITZER: I'll read to you -- he said, "The amount of damage to civilian housing" and so on, "It's far beyond what we normally see in wars."
NETANYAHU: It's far lower than what we see in wars. Let's take some wars. Syria, that criticizes Israel. It leveled in one afternoon, half of a city called Hama, a Syrian city, against domestic rebellion.
BLITZER: That was 20 -- almost 25 years ago.
NETANYAHU: And they knocked out 15,000 people in a shot. I think Russia has some problems with Chechen rebels and Chechen terrorists. The reports of casualties are at least into the thousands.
BLITZER: But Israel doesn't want to be equated with Syria.
NETANYAHU: No, but how about being equated with the United States and Britain? Britain had its cities rocketed in World War II by the Nazis, V-2 rockets. It leveled Dresden. It leveled German cities. Level them, level them.
Now, by the way, I am not make a moral judgment. It was total war by a fanatic Nazi regime that was forced on Britain. The United States had two rockets launched into -- it's not rockets, makeshift rockets, aircraft, launched into New York City dealing, obviously, terrible damage.
But the United States went halfway around the world, destroyed the Taliban regime, occupied Iraq and there were many, many civilian casualties. The difference is that neither Britain nor America nor many other democracies don't target civilians directly. They have hurt civilians indirectly and not intentionally. In the case of Israel, yes, there are tragically, 300-some civilian casualties.
But thousands and thousands and thousands, tens of thousands, and in some cases hundreds of thousands civilian casualties, when the cities of democracy have been hit by rockets. I think that Israel has been given a bum wrap.
BLITZER: But you agree that you're not going to war against Lebanon as a country or as the government. You're targeting Hezbollah directly, so the question, let me rephrase it, why go after Lebanese civilian infrastructure when you really want to go after the Hezbollah militants, their rockets, their weapons? Why destroy a bridge or a power reactor or a television station?
NETANYAHU: How do you think the rockets get to Hezbollah? From Syria. They've been supplied as we speak from Syria.
How do you think Hezbollah sends out its propaganda? Through television and radio stations and so on. But the main damage to civilians, if you want to deal with damage to concrete, that's one thing. But I think you want to deal with the damage to lives. The main damage to lives, civilian lives is because of the deliberate and cynical Hezbollah placement of their rocket launchers. The criminal rocket launchers amid civilians, and so they should be given the blame. But I think beyond that...
BLITZER: ... Let's get to a few other critical issues. Some sort of international peacekeeping or peacemaking force in Lebanon that's on the table. The defense minister of Israel, Amir Peretz, suggesting that Israel would welcome that. Preferably he said, one lead by NATO. How do you feel about an international force coming into Lebanon to protect Israel's northern border?
NETANYAHU: I think the problem is, as the government correctly said, the task is to remove the threat from Israeli cities, and Israeli civilians, especially to remove the rocket threats, The first problem we have to understand is while we push Hezbollah back on the border, which is fine, we are not dealing with a main strategic threat that has been revealed here, and that is longer-range rockets, beyond the security zone that have been fired and are being fired on Israeli civilians.
BLITZER: Are you saying the international stabilization force, whatever they want to call it, would not be something you would welcome?
NETANYAHU: No, I didn't say that. But I'm saying that it would deal at best with only part of the job. Also it doesn't really disarm Lebanon -- rather the Hezbollah militia, terrorist force in Lebanon as Resolution 1559, U.N. resolution, stipulates.
It can only come after we disarm it or after we push it back and disarm it. And I think the main problem is equivalent to what the U.S. faced with Cuba, when you had a foreign power bringing rockets close to the American mainland, to American cities that weren't even fired.
And President Kennedy made sure that those rockets were taken out. I think this is our problem. The main thing we have to assure is that those rockets were taken out. If an international force can help there, I have no problem. I have my doubts if it can do it, but I would be happy to see it do it.
BLITZER: Some Israeli analysts are suggesting now that day 13 of this war with Hezbollah, that it's proving to be from Israel's perspective, a lot more difficult than many earlier thoughts.
NETANYAHU: Well it is, because we are doing exactly the opposite of what we've been accused of doing. We're using a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of our firepower. If we used the firepower that we had, we could just level Lebanon. But we don't. We don't. The reason you have casualties in the hundreds is because we're trying to pinpoint our targets.
The reason you don't have casualties in the thousands or beyond that is precisely because Israel has moral restraints on its military action. It's because we don't want to hurt civilians. It's because we regret it when we see civilians hurt. But we have to protect our people. so what we try to do is actually take a balance between our moral inhibitions in the application of power and the use of power justly to protect our cities and that's why it's going slower.
BLITZER: How much longer do you think it will continue?
NETANYAHU: As long as it needs to take?
BLITZER: Are we talking days, weeks?
NETANYAHU: Look, I think I don't know. There is real geo- political time, and I don't know what it is. But I think something has happened here. And I'm not sure that this discussion begins to capture what is happening here. Hezbollah doesn't last two days without Iran and Syria. It is an Iranian operation, as is, by the way, Hamas. Iran has done a trial balloon now. It has fired rockets on a western country, on a democratic country, without any provocation, with warheads of several hundred of kilos at best or 100 pounds.
Iran is preparing now missiles that far outreach Israel, deep into Europe and ultimately to the eastern seaboard of the United States. They are developing nuclear payloads for those missiles. What response is this mad militancy, that believes it should reverse history by 1,000 years and go back to some twisted vision of Islam. What response is it receiving from the international community?
Paradoxically, it is only the Arab states who have condemned Hezbollah and are really condemning Iran, who understand what we understand, that Iran and its proxies must be stopped today. And if people come and attack Israel for defending itself against Iranian sponsored attacks, terrorist attacks, and do not see that their future, their well-being, their security down the line is what's at stake, then they will miss the entire point.
I think the issue is definitely the sovereignty and future of Lebanon, which we care for because we want to see Lebanon as a good neighbor. But Hezbollah is a foreign implantation, and it is an Iranian implantation. And this Iranian disease, this militancy that threatens the entire world, has to be stopped today.
BLITZER: We're going continue this in the next few days. The former Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu. Thanks for coming in.
Up ahead tonight, Lebanese leaders surveying the damage to their country and their economy from Israel's military assault on Hezbollah targets. We will talk to a Lebanese political leader, who met earlier today in Beirut with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. We're live from Jerusalem and you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
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BLITZER: Lebanon's prime minister told Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice today that the Israeli air strikes have driven Lebanon back 50 years. He's urging an immediate cease-fire.
And joining us now from Beirut is Nassib Lahoud. He's one of the top leaders of the Cedar Revolution that was so instrumental in removing the Syrian military from Lebanon last year.
Mr. Lahoud, thanks very much for joining us.
I know you were among those leaders of the Cedar Revolution that met with the secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice. What was her basic message to you today? What did you hear from her?
NASSIB LAHOUD, FMR. LEBANESE AMB. TO U.S.: Well, we heard from her that the United States, along with other members of the international community, would like to work for a fast and durable cease-fire. This is basically what we are aiming for.
BLITZER: Did she give you any specific details how that would be implemented, the conditions the United States sees as essential to achieve this cease-fire.
LAHOUD: I think that the basic idea is to end the hostilities in southern Lebanon and open the way to the deployment of an international stabilizing force that would restore peace in southern Lebanon, stop all hostilities on Hezbollah's side and on the Israeli side, and pave the way for the return of the hundreds of thousands of refugees that have been forced to flee southern Lebanon in the past few days.
BLITZER: Did she suggest, though, that as a first step, Hezbollah would have to return to Israel those two captured soldiers?
LAHOUD: The modalities of the cease-fire are going to be negotiated by the Siniora government, in which we have full confidence. We hope that all parties in Lebanon will delegate to the prime minister the authority to negotiate the cease-fire with the international community.
BLITZER: Let me read to you, Mr. Lahoud, what an Israeli government spokesperson said earlier today, quote "Israel demands that the Lebanese government, once and for all, exert sovereignty over their territory. Governments are responsible for what happens within their borders and Israel now sees that Lebanon is not taking responsibility for what happens there." Is it realistic that the Lebanese government can exert its sovereignty in the south and effectively dismantle the Hezbollah militia?
NASSIB LAHOUD, FORMER LEBANESE AMB. TO U.S.: This is definitely what we aim for. We aim that by the end of this process, starting with the cease-fire, the Lebanese government will be able to be the sole custodian of the use of force in Lebanon and that no other party in Lebanon will hold any weaponry. We think that the only way to stop these dramatic events from recurring is for the Lebanese government to gain control over every inch of the territory. We think we can do that.
BLITZER: As you know, the Secretary of State left Beirut, is now here where I am, in Jerusalem. What do you hope her basic message will be to the government of Israel?
LAHOUD: We hope that the basic message will be the enforcement of an immediate and durable cease-fire. Immediate because we would like to end the suffering of the hundreds of thousands of Lebanese, and durable because we would never like these hostilities to happen again.
BLITZER: As you know, as recently as the last few days, she rejected an immediate cease-fire, saying it would be worse for the situation if the status quo ante were simply restored. Is there any indication that that status has changed?
LAHOUD: Well we do hope so. We hope that all parties will accept an immediate cease-fire, but a durable cease-fire, a durable cease-fire would have to mean that the comprehensive solution would have to be found that would ensure that this conflict would never erupt again. BLITZER: We're almost out of time, but one final question, Mr. Lahoud. After your meeting with Condoleezza Rice today in Beirut, are you more or less optimistic about Lebanon's future?
LAHOUD: I am confident about Lebanon's future. I do feel that this is the last major crisis that Lebanon will be subjected to, and we're firmly committed here in Lebanon, both in government and in the majority, to construct a consensus that will be durable, that will end the suffering of the Lebanese, and that will secure a Lebanon that will not be a threat to any of its neighbors.
BLITZER: And that the people in the northern part of Israel won't have to worry about rockets and missiles coming in? Is that part of your vision as well?
LAHOUD: Yes, of course. I think the comprehensive solution would like to -- would have to end all hostilities, both on Lebanon's side and on the Israeli side. Yes, no more rockets towards Israel, no more over-flights and aggression by Israel on Lebanese territory.
BLITZER: Mr. Lahoud, thanks very much for joining us. Good luck to everyone in Lebanon.
LAHOUD: Thank you, Wolf. Thank you very much.
BLITZER: And up ahead, standing between enemies. Can a multinational peacekeeping force stabilize the region? And who will volunteer for this dangerous mission? We're live from Jerusalem and you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
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BLITZER: Officials are scrambling to try to end the fighting between Hezbollah and the Israeli military. They have long-term goals and short-term goals, but how to keep the peace in the long run? Let's bring in CNN's Brian Todd. He's joining us from Washington. Brian?
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, analysts say an effective peacekeeping force would likely be there for three to four years and they say the nations contributing to that force have to know what they're up against going in.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TODD (voice over): Once this fight subsides, who will stand between Israel and Hezbollah? With the U.N. or NATO being discussed as possible stabilization forces, military experts have a warning. Whoever goes in will have to go beyond peacekeeping and be prepared to actually fight.
GEN. DAVID GRANGE (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: You have to have forces that are tough enough and strong enough that go the length of time here and enforce the peace.
TODD: U.N. forces have been ineffective in that role in the recent past. NATO has a stronger track record, and NATO member Turkey, a Muslim nation with a strong military, could be a key participant. But asking mostly Sunni Muslims from Turkey to step between the Shiite Hezbollah and Israel, experts say, could get dicey. And they point out NATO is already stretched thin, deployed in Afghanistan, Kosovo, Iraq and Darfur. They'd be stretched thin in Lebanon, too.
COL. PATRICK LANG (RET.), MILITARY INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: A lot of people are talking about the Litani River as the area you have to clear of rocket launchers, but if you notice, the Israeli towns and the army posts in Metullah and Kiryat Shmona, and all these little farming villages down here are within range of this larger range fan by the Katyusha rockets. So this area in here has to be cleared of these rocket launchers as well.
TODD: Colonel Patrick Lang, once deployed to this region, says that means the stabilization force will have to occupy about the same size area that Israel held for 18 years. Since then, Hezbollah has dug in.
LANG: With tunnels, fortified villages, fortified farmhouses, firing positions, caches of rockets, and all kinds of other things that are going to have to be cleared one thing at a time if you're going to get the launchers back away from the Israeli border.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TODD: That means a long grind for the stabilization force, a grind that, as we said before, will likely involve fighting. Wolf?
BLITZER: Brian, thanks very much. Let's find out what's coming up right at the top of the hour. Paula is standing by in New York. Paula?
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Hi Wolf, thanks so much. As part of our top story coverage of the Middle East, see what life is really like for Israelis forced to spend the summer dodging rockets inside sweltering underground shelters. Plus, are today's headlines actually predicted by the book of revelation? Is Armageddon just around the corner? We'll see why a lot of Christians are worried tonight and we will also hear how Jews weigh in on that prospect as well. All that coming up at the top of the hour, Wolf.
BLITZER: Sounds good, Paula, thanks very much. And still ahead here in THE SITUATION ROOM, pressing for a diplomatic situation. Should Arab countries be supporting Israel's fight against Hezbollah? Jack Cafferty is reading your e-mail. We're live from Jerusalem and you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
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BLITZER: Jack's in New York with "The Cafferty File." Jack?
CAFFERTY: The question is should Arab countries, moderate ones, be supporting Israel's fight against Hezbollah? Vince writes from Las Vegas, Nevada: "They should, but to keep from drawing attention and criticism, they should say they are supporting Lebanon against Hezbollah. The people of Lebanon, despite having voted many members of Hezbollah into office, have come to realize Hezbollah's controlling their country, especially in the south, a good deal more than they bargained for. Eliminating Hezbollah will be good for Israel and very good for Lebanon.
Oscar in Florida: "It's all right for modern Arab countries to help Israel in this difficult hour. Israel's fighting the front line against the forces of terrorists who want to kill infidels, oppress women, hang gays, cut off the hands of children for stealing a piece of bread and destroy America, Europe and the civilized world."
Barry writes: "We can't expect the Arab countries to support Israel in their fight against Hezbollah. Doing so would only create more turmoil in the region, prompting Arab freedom fighters to lash out at those Arab countries. Hezbollah and Hamas have the right to defend themselves in the same manner that any sovereign nation can."
Hank in Rocky River, Ohio: "It would be political suicide for any Arab country to support Israel in this, or any other situation. The best the moderate Arab countries can hope for is to strengthen the democratic Lebanese government so it can neutralize the radical Hezbollah elements in its midst."
Max in Philadelphia: "Arab countries that aspire to more than being dominated by violent, intolerant thugs should call for the elimination of Hamas and Hezbollah."
And David in Keene, New Hampshire: "Ask the average Arab in the street, I bet you'll find wide and growing support for Hamas and Hezbollah, contrary to what their governments say officially."
More of these online at CNN.com/CaffertyFile. Wolf?
BLITZER: Jack, see you tomorrow, thanks very much. We'll be back in Jerusalem tomorrow. Let's go to New York right now. Paula Zahn is standing by. Paula?
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