BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY MARGARET BECKETT ON SUNDAY CALLED AN ISRAELI STRIKE ON THE LEBANESE VILLAGE OF QANA THAT KILLED AT LEAST 40 CIVILIANS "QUITE APPALLING". BUT PRESSED ON WHETHER BRITAIN VIEWED THE DAWN RAID OR ISRAEL'S 19-DAY-OLD BOMBING CAMPAIGN AS "DISPROPORTIONATE", SHE AVOIDED SAYING SO, ADDING ISRAEL MAY STOP LISTENING IF CERTAIN WORDS WERE USED. "IT'S ABSOLUTELY DREADFUL, IT'S QUITE APPALLING ... UNDOUBTEDLY TODAY'S EVENTS WILL MAKE THINGS WORSE AT LEAST IN THE SHORT TERM," SHE TOLD SKY NEWS. "WE HAVE REPEATEDLY URGED ISRAEL TO ACT PROPORTIONATELY," SHE ADDED, WHEN ASKED TO CALL THE QANA ATTACK OR THE BOMBING CAMPAIGN "DISPROPORTIONATE". "WE CAN'T AFFORD FOR ISRAEL TO STOP LISTENING," SHE SAID. "PRETTY WELL EVERYONE IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY ... WANTS TO SEE A CEASEFIRE," SHE ADDED.
