Egypt's Mubarak calls for U.S. intervention for ceasefire in Lebanon

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak sent an urgent message late Wednesday night to U.S. President George W. Bush, calling him to intervene to reach an unconditional and immediate ceasefire in Lebanon, Presidential sources told Xinhua Thursday.

In the message, Mubarak stressed on the importance of U.S. intervention to solve the crisis, which entered its 23rd day, and drew attention to the deteriorated situation in Lebanon and warned of its repercussions in the Middle East, said the sources.

According to the sources, the Egyptian President said the talks about extending the war to reach Syria would drag the region to a dark tunnel, adding that this would end any attempt to reach peace in the region.

Mubaral also called for a probe into the Israeli raid on the southern Lebanese village of Qana, killing some 54 Lebanese, most of them children.

Meanwhile, Mubarak held a phone call on Thursday with Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Sabah, in which they discussed means to convince the international community to attain a ceasefire, reported the official MENA news agency.

Violence between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah guerillas erupted on July 12, following the abduction of two Israeli soldiers by the Shiite group in a cross-border attack.

In a video statement to a meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) on Thursday, Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said that over 900 people had been killed and about 3,000 people wounded in Israel's over-three-week-old offensive.

On the Israeli side, at least 56 Israelis have also been killed in the conflict, according to media counts.

Source: Xinhua