IRELAND: Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern has criticised the "disproportionate" Israeli response to the kidnappings of its soldiers, saying the crisis could only be resolved through dialogue.
"There are ways around dealing with that situation, not blowing ordinary civilians out of existence," Mr Ahern said yesterday.
He also condemned the kidnappings and said the situation was now "potentially extremely dangerous".
Mr Ahern said be believed most normal people would feel "that the (Israeli) response has been disproportionate.
"The onus is on all sides to back off this, because potentially it could spiral into a very serious situation altogether."
The Government was trying, in conjunction with its EU partners, to ensure the safety of around 40 Irish citizens in Lebanon.
Labour foreign affairs spokesman Michael D Higgins said it was not enough for Mr Ahern to describe the Israeli attack as "disproportionate", as it was in fact a clear breach of international law.
He said the organisations involved in kidnapping, abduction and the use of suicide bombers in civilian areas "should know that the history of terror, and the reason for its rejection by left-wing politicians, was that it facilitated an even greater terror from the oppressor".