Islamic body urges end to Israeli raids on Lebanon

RIYADH, July 16 (Reuters) The 57-nation Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) called for an immediate end to Israeli ''bloodshed'' in Lebanon, voicing concern that the conflict could widen and fuel terrorism.

Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu voiced ''deep concern and condemnation of the Israeli aggression against Lebanon'', the OIC said in a statement.

''For the current situation to continue and for peace efforts to remain frozen will only result in involving other parties in the conflict,'' he said.

''It will also open the field to political polarisation in the region and fuel motives of extremism and terrorism on a global scale.'' Ihsanoglu urged the international community and the United Nations Security Council to shoulder their ''political and moral responsibilities, to stop the bloodshed and destruction''.

The Jeddah-based OIC has agreed with the Islamic Development Bank to help rebuild Lebanon, the statement added without elaborating.

Israel's campaign in Lebanon, launched after Hizbollah captured two Israeli soldiers and killed eight on Wednesday, has killed 112 people, all but four of them civilians. In Israel at least 12 people were killed in attacks by Hizbollah on Israeli targets that included the city of Haifa.

The Israeli offensive has drawn a plea for restraint from the United States, which blames Hizbollah and its allies, Syria and Iran.

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