There's been widespread criticism thoroughout the Middle East of Israeli attacks on Lebanon.

The United Arab Emirates described the raids as flagrant aggression.

Speaking while hosting a visit by King Abdullah of Jordan, the Emirati deputy prime minister, Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed al-Nahyan, renewed his country's call for an Arab summit, saying only through unity would the Arab world be able to confront what he called Israeli arrogance.

A Syrian official said the raids showed that the Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Barak, was not interested in peace with Arab states.

And the Palestinians described the Israeli attacks as state terrorism.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service