White House urges 'maximum restraint' in Mideast

From Kelly Wallace
CNN White House Correspondent

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Bush administration called for "maximum restraint" on Sunday after Israeli warplanes attacked Syrian radar positions in Lebanon.

Israel Defense Forces said the strike was in response to a mortar attack Friday in northern Israel that Israel blames on Hezbollah guerillas.

MORE STORIES CNN's Brent Sadler: Israel holding Syria accountable for Hezbollah actions     AUDIO CNN's Brent Sadler: 'Carbon copy' of earlier attack 635 KB / 58 secs AIFF or WAV sound CNN's Mike Hanna: Israel has confirmed attacks 364 KB / 32 secs AIFF or WAV sound

"We have been in touch with all the parties urging all sides to exercise maximum restraint," a U.S. State Department official told CNN. "We want all parties to avoid provocative actions. We regret the casualties." The official would not say which U.S. government representative was "in touch with all the parties."

U.S. President George W. Bush's national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, has been informed about the violence, a White House spokesman said. Rice is spending the weekend at the presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland, with Bush.

This latest violence is a concern for the White House, which has stepped up its efforts in recent weeks to end nine months of bloodshed between Israel and the Palestinians.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell returned to Washington this weekend, following a brief visit to the region, during which he met with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat.

Following those meetings, Powell announced the two sides had agreed to seven days of no violence, and then a six-week "cooling-off period."

But the violence continued Sunday, with two Palestinians killed in a shootout with Israeli soldiers near the West Bank town of Jenin, Israeli Army officials told CNN.

It remained unclear when the week of no violence would begin, and what will happen if this timetable doesn't work.