Clinton calls on western leaders to broker Lebanese ceasefire

The United States and other western countries should be pushing hard for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, along with the insertion of an international peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, former U.S. president Bill Clinton said Wednesday.

The Islamic group Hezbollah's tactics are at the root of the latest bloody conflict in the region, but Clinton also questioned the length to which Israel has gone to defend itself. "It's important for us to get some kind of ceasefire now," Clinton said.

"I think this idea of an international force needs to be fleshed out."

His position stands in contrast to the Bush administration and Israel, which have both rejected the idea of a quick truce.

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