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 » Special Report | Video archive | E-mail us: Your stories | How to help civilians Rice's mission moves to JerusalemLebanon says Rice's comments 'not encouraging'
Condoleezza Rice says she spoke to Prime Minister Fouad Siniora about the humanitarian situation in Lebanon. RELATED
QUICKVOTEYOUR E-MAIL ALERTSJERUSALEM (CNN) -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice flew to Beirut and then to Jerusalem Monday in an attempt to carve a lasting solution to the crisis that has claimed hundreds of lives and gutted Lebanon's infrastructure. In an unannounced visit, she stopped first in Lebanon's capital, where she met with Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and Nabih Berri, Lebanon's parliament speaker, who has close ties with Hezbollah and Syria. "I am obviously here because we are deeply concerned about the Lebanese people and what they are enduring," Rice said in Beirut. "We are talking about the humanitarian situation, and we are also talking about a durable way to end the violence. "President Bush wanted this to be my first stop -- here in Lebanon -- to express our desire to urgently find conditions in which we can end the violence and make life better for the Lebanese people." After the closed-door meeting, a source in Berri's office told CNN that Berri considered Rice's comments "not encouraging" because of her insistence on a simultaneous implementation of conditions. By that, the source said, Berri meant Rice had wanted any cease-fire agreements, deployment of international troops, disarming of Hezbollah militia, return of displaced Lebanese and plans for reconstruction to occur at the same time. Berri considered such a course impractical and believed that a cease-fire should come first, the source said. Only afterward should the Lebanese government discuss other issues, such as the two Israeli soldiers whose capture by Hezbollah on July 12 sparked the crisis. In addition, Berri was surprised Rice did not mention either the Israeli soldiers or the possibility of a prisoner swap between Israel and Hezbollah, the source said. A senior U.S. State Department official in Washington said no detailed plans yet exist. Lebanese Minister of Social Affairs Nayla Muawwad said the discussion wound up serving more to inform Rice than for her to inform the other participants. As Rice met with Siniora, dozens of demonstrators outside his office building protested U.S. support for the military action. "4 Million Lebanese Hostages," said one poster. Another blared: "Massacre." Yet another: "1,000 Injured -- American Tax Dollars at Work." Rice is now in Israel, where she is to meet with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem. She was also expected to meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah. Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said Monday, "There is no conflict between Israel and the people of Lebanon. But Israel has no higher responsibility than to defend its citizens." Livni called for the release of the abducted Israeli soldiers and for Lebanon to exercise sovereignty over its territory by carrying out U.N. Resolution 1559, which calls for the disarmament of militias. She also called on the international community "to assist the Lebanese government in confronting the Hezbollah." Meanwhile, the Lebanon-based Hezbollah guerrillas traded more attacks with Israeli forces Monday. (Watch how Israeli forces plan to expand Lebanon operations -- 1:40) Cease-fire not expected immediatelyU.S. officials told CNN's John King privately not to expect a cease-fire to come out of Rice's mission. Last week, Rice called Hezbollah the source of the problem in Lebanon and said a cease-fire "will be a false promise if it returns us to the status quo." She did not plan to meet with Hezbollah or with Syrian leaders during her trip. Although Syria is thought to hold much influence with Hezbollah, the Bush administration has argued that direct talks with Syria would be pointless. Rice was planning to head to Rome, Italy, later this week to meet with Arab leaders and U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. On the agenda will be the possibility of a multinational force for southern Lebanon. U.N. appeals for Lebanese aidMeanwhile, the U.N.'s relief coordinator, Jan Egeland, launched an appeal for $150 million to help an estimated 800,000 Lebanese displaced by the conflict. Within hours, the United States announced it had pledged $30 million to the fund. Beginning Tuesday, the U.S. military said, it would assist with the shipping of humanitarian supplies to the Port of Beirut for distribution by non-governmental organizations. But Egeland said Monday his team does not have safe access to those trapped in the south of Lebanon and that the bombing had rendered many roads impassable. In an interview with CNN from Beirut, he appealed for a cease-fire. "Too many civilians are suffering, both in northern Israel and here in Lebanon," he said. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Friday that he feared a "major humanitarian disaster" if the conflict did not end soon. Blair: It's a 'catastrophe'In London, Prime Minister Tony Blair said officials "have been working very hard to put in place a plan that would allow ... the immediate cessation of hostilities." "Of course, we all want to see this on both sides. It's important that it happen. It's important that it happen because what is occurring at the present time in Lebanon is a catastrophe. It is damaging that country and its fragile democracy. But it is also important that we deal with the reasons that this conflict has come about." CNN's Anthony Mills, Schams Elwazer, Paul Courson and Dana Bash contributed to this report. 
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