APPALLED at the carnage in South Lebanon, replayed over and over on CNN television, US diplomats yesterday stepped up their frantic negotiations with Israel, Syria and Lebanon to bring about a ceasefire.
In Washington, there was speculation that the Secretary of State, Mr Warren Christopher, would go to Jerusalem in an attempt to secure an agreement. But some sources said Mr Christopher, who was yesterday on his way to The Hague for talks with his Chinese counterpart, would only travel to the Middle East if there was a deal to secure.
The Lebanese ambassador to the United Nations, Mr Samir Moubarak, condemned the killings in Qana. "What is taking place in Lebanon is the sole responsibility of Israel", he said, adding that Israel must withdraw from Lebanon under Security Council resolution 425.
Mr Moubarak asked the Security Council to take action on a resolution drafted by Lebanon to end the assaults on his country.
Even before yesterday's atrocity south of Tyre, US diplomats were trying to end the relentless Israeli bombardment of Lebanon."
President Clinton has refused to condemn the Israeli assaults since they began on April 11th and the Americans have placed the primary blame on Hizbullah. The US is concerned not to do anything to undermine the election prospects of the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Shimon Peres, as it regards him as essential to the Middle East peace process.
The television pictures of carnage wrought by Israeli shells on civilians has presented the US administration with a dilemma. In order to preserve the impartiality necessary to act as brokers in the peace process, it cannot continue to give Israel the green light to attack targets in Lebanon.
Israeli officials in Washington told Associated Press that the US proposals to end the fighting included a written agreement. There are provisions for placing international monitors in the field and getting a commitment from Syria to exert pressure on Hizbullah to halt its Katushya attacks on northern Israel.
The Israeli officials also said that the US is working on a verbal agreement under which Israel would declare it had no claim on Lebanese territory and would withdraw from the border zone controlled by its Lebanese allies if Hizbullah was disarmed.