GERMANY'S FOREIGN MINISTER EXPRESSED HORROR AT THE DEATH OF DOZENS OF PEOPLE IN AN ISRAELI STRIKE SUNDAY ON THE LEBANESE TOWN OF QANA, AND URGED BOTH SIDES NOT TO BLOCK DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS, ACCORDING TO AP. FOREIGN MINISTER FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER SAID SUNDAY'S EVENTS SHOWED AGAIN THAT «THE HIGHEST PRIORITY MUST NOW BE A CEASE-FIRE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.» STEINMEIER SAID IN A STATEMENT THAT HE HAD «LEARNED WITH HORROR» OF THE DEATHS OF CIVILIANS. HE SAID HE HAD REPEATEDLY UNDERLINED TO ISRAEL «THAT EVERY USE OF MILITARY FORCE, ALSO IN THE FRAMEWORK OF SELF-DEFENSE, MUST BE PROPORTIONATE _ IN PARTICULAR, VICTIMS AMONG THE CIVILIAN POPULATION ABSOLUTELY MUST BE AVOIDED.» STEINMEIER ADDED THAT HE BELIEVED THE CONFLICT COULD ONLY BE RESOLVED BY POLITICAL MEANS. «THAT IS WHY I APPEAL ALL THE MORE URGENTLY TO THE PARTIES TO THE CONFLICT NOT TO BLOCK THE WAY TO A POLITICAL AGREEMENT ON THE END OF FIGHTING,» HE SAID. «BOTH SIDES MUST GIVE THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY'S DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS A CHANCE.»
