Siniora: Turn tragedy into opportunity for peace

Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora sent a message of reconciliation Sunday, when he said during a Beirut speech: "I think that if Israel acts wisely, this would enable us to transform the tragedy that was inflicted on Lebanon into an opportunity to move towards true peace."

Siniora, who toured the southern Dahiyeh quarter accompanied by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a Hizbullah supporter, called on the international community "to do the maximum to save Lebanon."

Siniora visits ruined Dahiyeh quarter. 'We'll rebuild country' (Photo: Reuters)

According to the Lebanese PM, "Lebanon sustained grave losses, and the international community should act in favor of Lebanon and salvage the country from this tragedy." He estimated that the damages absorbed by Lebanon stand at billions of dollars.

Siniora added that "all the Lebanese agreed that they would continue to withstand the Israeli aggressions. Together we shall build Lebanon, together we shall stand strong and rebuild our country, despite the Israeli aggression and despite the enemy's violence."

Another Hizbullah parliament member who took part in the tour, Ali Ammar, said: "Dahiyeh, southern Lebanon, and the Lebanon Valley are inalienable parts of the country. We will not allow the Israeli enemy and those who stand behind it to hurt our national unity."

UN: Truce could unravel

The United Nations said on Sunday the week-old truce between Israel and Hizbullah could easily collapse, a day after it condemned an Israeli raid on the guerrillas in Lebanon as a violation.

Senior UN envoy Terje Roed-Larsen said the truce that halted the 34-day war had provided the Lebanese government with a good chance to extend its authority over all of the country.

"We also do believe that unfortunately there is a tilting edge where things very easily, within the next weeks or months, can slide out of control," Roed-Larsen told reporters in Beirut.

"This is why it's so important that all parties concerned exercise utmost restraint in this situation in order to give the Lebanese army the possibility of deploying fully along all borders of Lebanon, and particularly in the south, and also to allow the international community to provide troops."