By Middle East correspondent Frank Gardner

The Arab world has roundly condemned Israel's air and artillery attacks on Lebanon.

The attacks destroyed three power stations and wounded 15 people.

A criminal act, barbarous aggression, a violation of international law - from a dozen Arab capitals, the condemnation for Israel's assault on Lebanon has flowed thick and fast.

The Arab League called the attacks a criminal act that exceeded all limits.

The Palestinian authority described the destruction of Lebanon's power stations as state terrorism.

A Syrian official said the raid showed that the Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Barak, did not want peace with Arab states.

In Iraq, the government-run newspaper Ath-Thawra, accused what it called Israel's hysterical minister generals of using Lebanon to put pressure on Syria to make peace.

Even the normally restrained Gulf states added their words with Bahrain calling Israel's actions irresponsible.

Oman, one of only two Gulf states to host an Israeli government trade mission, called the attacks unjustified.

Practically the only message of sympathy for Israel in the Middle East came from the US Ambassador to Israel, Martin Indyk.

Cycle of violence

He blamed the Lebanese Shi'ite militia Hezbollah for triggering the cycle of violence by targeting Israeli soldiers in Lebanon.

But the recent killing of Israeli troops there by Hezbollah has never drawn any sympathy from Arab governments.

Their logic is simple. They believe Israeli troops should not be occupying Arab soil, whether it be Lebanon, the Golan Heights or the West Bank.