The Washington-based Arab American Institute (AAI) called recently for initiating investigations into Israel's raid of cluster bombs against Lebanon during its last summer invasion. "Israeli Armed Forces violated the international ban on the use of cluster bombs." According to a report of the US State Department, "Israel also violated the bilateral agreement between Washington and Tel Aviv, not to use this prohibited bomb on non-military areas." The AAI, founded in 1985, said Israel used as many as 4 million cluster bombs in South Lebanon, 40 of which are believed not detonated or exploded yet. It also called for investigation pertaining to a statement made by US Ambassador to UN John Bolton in which he had said the US administration intentionally postponed cessation of hostility in 2006. Bolton had said in an interview to the UK-BBC that "he is deeply proud of what he did." --MORE
