JERUSALEM (EJP)--- Javier Solana, the European Union High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, held talks Weddnesday in Jerusalem with Israeli leaders on the conflict with Hizbullah.

Speaking at a press conference following discussions with foreign minister Tzipi Livni and Prime minister Ehud Olmert, Solana stressed the need for “Those who may have influence to help solve this problem must to do it now, immediately.

“Every day counts,” he added, in an apparent reference to the belief that Syria has influence over Hizbollah, which continued to bombard northern Israel with rockets on Wednesday.

This was the second time in just a few days that Solana had been in the Middle East. On Sunday he spent a day in Lebanon, following which he told the press: “Coming here, one feels appalled by the suffering of so many innocent people, and by the destruction and destabilization that Lebanon does not deserve.”

In Jerusalem Solana said he is trying to look to the future, to the years after the conflict ends.

“The objective we all have is that once this bloodshed is over, we want to stop as soon as possible, we have a vision of the future,” Solana said. “We have to try and gain their minds and their hearts. The battle against terrorism is not the battle of minds but hearts.”

Proportionality

Israel has heavily bombed Lebanon, especially the capital Beirut, since the conflict began a week ago after Hizbollah broke into Israel, killed eight soldiers and kidnapped two more.

Since then many politicians and journalits have accused Israel of a disproportionate response.

When questioned on this, Solana was quick to point out that “Proportionality is not a mathematical concept”.

“I think u have to be concerned about defining something as disproportionate... if its neccesary to achieve an objective,” he said.

However he added: “Ive been in Lebanon and returned with families who were evacuated. And I saw the suffering. I don’t see what that has to do with the battle with Hizbollah. It is one thing but another thing is to weaken a country.”

Blair blames Hizbollah

Also Wednesday, British prime minister Tony Blair addressed the issue of the conflict in the Middle East during Prime Minister’s Question Time in the House of Commons.

Blair was unequivocal in his condemnation of Hizbollah for causing the bloodshed on both sides.

“If this is to stop, it has to stop by undoing how it started, and it started with the kidnap of Israeli soldiers and the bombardment of northern Israel. If we want this to stop, that has to stop,” he said.

In response to a question for Liberal Democrats leader Sir Menzies Campbell over the issue of proportionality, Blair added: “It is important that Israel’s response is proportionate and does its best to minimise civilian casualties, but it would stop now if the soldiers who were kidnapped—wrongly, when Hezbollah crossed the United Nations blue line—were released.

“It would stop if the rockets stopped coming into Haifa, deliberately to kill innocent civilians. If those two things happened, I promise the right honerable and learned Gentleman that I will be the first to say that Israel should halt its operations.