Bush never seemed all that inclined to pressure Hamas or Hizballah to stop their relentless assaults on Israeli civilians. It is only when Israel counters the jihad that he begins to urge restraint. From AP, with thanks to Teri:
BEIRUT, Lebanon “” U.S. President George W. Bush has promised Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora that he will press Israel to halt its attacks on Lebanon, a government statement said Friday.
A statement from Saniora’s office said that Bush phoned Saniora at midday Friday (0900GMT) to discuss the deteriorating situation in Lebanon. Saniora asked Bush to push Israel to halt its airstrikes on Lebanese infrastructure.
“President Bush affirmed his readiness to put pressure on Israel to limit the damage to Lebanon as a result of the current military action, and to spare civilians from harm,” the statement said.
Bush also phoned Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak early Friday to talk about escalating violence in Lebanon and Gaza, Egypt’s official news agency reported.
The two leaders “tackled ways to contain the current exploding situation on the Lebanese stage” and violence in the Gaza Strip, it said.