Less than two weeks ago, Hezbollah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and demanded a prisoner exchange with Israel. Note that this was a retaliatory action for Israel's kidnapping of many Lebanese from Lebanon and their refusal to return them. Israel's reaction to bomb Beirut International Airport, roads, bridges, factories, electricity plants, hospitals and other civilian infrastructure, seal Lebanon off by air and sea and kill more than 300 civilians to date is a disproportionate retaliation.

Was Hezbollah action to be condoned? The answer is obviously "no."

Does this justify the disproportionate force being used against Lebanon and the Lebanese people? Logical and thinking people and nations would also answer "no."

Unfortunately, this has not been the case with the United States. Rather than calling upon both parties to immediately cease fire and go back to the negotiation table, the United States has instead given Israel the green light to continue its actions, and in fact is encouraging them. There have been two reasons given: United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution 1559; the establishment of what the Bush administration calls the "New Middle East".

UNSCR 1559, which calls upon all Lebanese militia to disband, is not logical or practical. Besides, there are more than 70 U.N Security Council resolutions in place against Israel that have not been mentioned. One cannot pick and choose. Either we believe in the institution or we ignore it.

The U.N.'s top humanitarian official, Jan Egeland said, ""A disproportionate response by Israel is a violation of international humanitarian law."

History has shown us that the use of force does not always work. Israel occupied Lebanon for 18 years and it was unable to disarm Hezbollah. To expect that Israel will now be able to disarm Hezbollah over the course of several weeks is delusional. Hezbollah has the local political support because it has been on the ground for more than 20 years talking to the Lebanese people on a daily basis.

If history is an indication, let's use Fatah. They only put their arms away when they felt they had a place at the table. Similarly, the only practical way to disarm Hezbollah is to bring them to the negotiation table and allow them to press their case. We may not like it. But it is what it is.

Last week the U.S. Senate passed resolution S Res. 534. The House of Representatives passed HRES 921. Both resolutions support Israel. They both fail to condemn Israel's disproportionate use of force. Even so, Sen. John Warner noted the following on the floor:

"Now we see today that so many nations say the United States must take a stronger role in trying to work our way through this conflict, yes, supporting Israel but at the same time trying to bring about some resolution to spare the life and limb and suffering in Palestine, Lebanon, and Israel, to see that it not spread to other areas.

"I conclude our support for Israel is very strong, Mr. President, but it cannot be unconditional."

Warner is right. U.S. policy toward the Middle East has been a disaster. The unconditional support of Israel is not in this nation's best interest, and has not served Israel very well either. In fact, many would argue that our one-sided policy has resulted in strengthening the terrorists and it has given them ammunition to recruit more people. A serious policy re-evaluation is long overdue.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice described the violence against Lebanon as part of the "birth pangs of a "new" Middle East and called upon Israel to ignore calls for a cease-fire because it would be a "false promise if it simply returns us to the status quo."

After a meeting with U.N. members who had just returned from the Middle East seeking a cease-fire she said: "whatever we do, we have to be certain that we are pushing forward to the 'new' Middle East,' not going back to the old one."

Secretary Rice and the nation she serves would be better off seeking every possible way and exhausting every possible means necessary to accomplish an immediate cease-fire. What we need is a new, honest and more balanced U.S policy in the Middle East, not a new Middle East.

Hesham Mahmoud is the media chair of the America-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee, New Jersey Chapter ( ADC-NJ). Reach him at hesham@technochief.com