Netanyahu reacts to killing of two soldiers in Lebanon

The Israeli Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, says the Israeli initiative on withdrawing from Lebanon in return for security guarantees is more important than ever, following the killing of two Israeli soldiers overnight.

They were killed in an attack by Hizbollah fighters near the village of Markaba, near the Israeli border.

Two other soldiers were wounded in the attack.

Mr Netanyahu, who's visiting China, said the killings were a tragedy which Israel had to endure until it succeeded in implementing the new initiative.

Lebanon and Syria have both rejected the proposal saying that Israel is required under UN resolutions to withdraw unconditionally from south Lebanon.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service