Italian Foreign Minister and Deputy Premier Massimo D'Alema has announced that he will embark on a diplomatic mission to Jerusalem Sunday to discus the Lebanese crisis with the Israeli authorities.
D'Alema made the announcement Thursday at a joint session of the House and Senate foreign affairs commissions.
He said that Italy is willing to contribute troops to a UN buffer force in southern Lebanon on the condition that it is not a "combat force".
He stressed that it should be "a major security force which will involve many countries in a significant way", not merely a delegation of observers, and that it should not be NATO-led.
He added that Israel - which is fighting on two fronts, the Gaza Strip and southern Lebanon, to release kidnapped soldiers - had not heeded appeals for moderation. He criticized the "high level of civilian casualties" caused by Israeli operations in Gaza on Wednesday and the bombing that killed four UN observers on Tuesday.
"It is essential that the international community continues to press to prevent the number of civilian victims growing," D'Alema told the commissions.
The foreign minister said an immediate cease-fire in southern Lebanon is unlikely, but he added that hostilities should be suspended to enable aid to get through to civilians.
He argued it is necessary to involve Iran and Syria - which Israel accuses of inciting the kidnappings and attacks on its cities from southern Lebanon - in peace negotiations to "break the negative spiral".
Later on Thursday afternoon, D'Alema had a meeting and a joint press conference with the President of the Palestinian Authority, Abu Mazen.
The deputy premier said the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territories is "dramatic".
Abu Mazen thanked D'Alema for the "unique level of support" Italy had provided to work to resolve the humanitarian crisis his people are facing.
He added that the Palestinian people were enduring "indescribable suffering" and that it is necessary to "put an end to the extremely dangerous Israeli aggression". Abu Mazen also met Italian Premier Romano Prodi on Thursday and gave assurances that the Israeli soldier kidnapped by Hamas will soon be released. "Efforts are being made that make us believe an imminent solution is possible," Abu Mazen told Prodi during a meeting at the premier's office.
"I hope the soldier is well and can soon return to his family".
However, Hamas immediately contradicted the Palestinian president.
"We have not been informed. We don't know what Abu Mazen meant," a Hamas spokesperson said.
During Thursday's meeting Prodi called on all the parties involved in the Middle Eastern conflict to "break the cycle of violence and resume negotiations".
