International reactions to the 2006 Lebanon War Lebanon and urged all parties to end the violence in favor of peaceful negotiation. "We are seriously concerned about the escalating tension in West Asia as a result of developments on the Israel-Lebanese border since yesterday which have the potential to inflame the region further and widen the conflict," the statement issued said. On 27 July 2006 India made a statement condemning Israel’s “disproportionate and excessive use of force” in Lebanon but simultaneously criticized Hezbollah for kidnapping two Israeli soldiers. Junior Foreign Minister Anand Sharma in a statement to Parliament demanded an immediate cessation to hostilities, saying Lebanon had become
Italians in Lebanon is a unique mixture of Western and Arabic cultures. Lebanon also left important traces in Italy’s history: in 1584 the Maronite College was founded in Rome, fostering contacts between clergymen, researchers and young students, which today is being continued under the framework of Inter-University cooperation. This excellent level of bilateral relations between Italy and Lebanon is reinforced today by the common views of the two countries on a number of Middle East issues, and by the growing awareness that in a globalized world the two shores of the Mediterranean sea share the same destiny. The Italian community in Lebanon is