Released a short time ago was the transcript of a press briefing which included President Bush’s National Security Advisor, Steve Hadley. The briefing was occuring in Russia where the G-8 are meeting. Some significant parts, I think [abridged for clarity]:

Q: … the President has said he urges restraint. Is there a red line for Israel? How much is too much?

Mr. Hadley: … Obviously, we are all troubled by violence and by the loss of innocent life. And so are the Israelis. And one of the things they have said to us is they are trying to take measures to avoid the loss of innocent civilian life. But they’ve also noted that it is difficult when Hezbollah conducts activities that are terror related in settings were innocent civilians are held at risk. And it’s a dilemma for Israel. We’ve also talked to them about infrastructure and the hardship it imposes. We’ve talked to them and they have taken steps about trying to ease some of the humanitarian plight, for example, for Palestinians in Gaza, in terms of keeping some of the crossings open and some humanitarian measures.

…

Remember, what Hezbollah did was to attack across an international border from Lebanon into Israel with rockets, to take operations across that border, seize and kill some Israeli soldiers without telling and consulting with the Lebanese government and the Lebanese government there not able to discuss any country — with any other country in the region. It has threatened to plunge the region into violence, acting unilaterally, and it raises the problem of Hezbollah. It was a problem addressed in 1559 — an armed group operating outside the government in a way that risks the security of everyone in the region. And that’s why we think part of the solution to this is the implementation of 1559, which would eliminate that and help Lebanon extend all of its authority throughout the whole country.

Q: But in least from where we stand, there’s not much indication to us that’s visible that Israel is listening. The other day, for example, shortly after the President made the point that Lebanon is fragile and they should be very careful, they just went further in. I mean, it doesn’t appear to us that much is happening.

MR. HADLEY: Further in was not — let’s look at what we said. One was, loss of innocent civilian life. And one of the things that people have not reported is how much innocent civilian life is being lost in Israel. And nonetheless, the Israeli government, notwithstanding that, notwithstanding some 50 rockets a day on their cities, notwithstanding the fact that a large percentage of their citizens are now in air raid shelter mode, nonetheless, they continue to try, in their operations, to exercise restraint. They have said they are trying to stop the missiles that are coming into their country. And that is driving their operations.

But what they said is, and I think you’ve seen some evidence, an effort to minimize the risk to innocent civilian life. It’s a real dilemma that they are in, and the President has talked about Hezbollah being responsible for the situation in the way I described, the right of Israel to defend itself and defend its people. But it’s very difficult and it’s very challenging, because of the nature of this enemy, to do it in a way that achieves the standard that the Israelis have set for themselves, which is to minimize the loss and the suffering of innocent civilian life. It’s one of the reasons to make such a terrible situation.

No backing off there from President Bush’s position that Israel is continuing to act within its rights. If there were backing off to be done, it would come from an advisor like Hadley before it came from the president himself. It’s reassuring to see no sign of it at all at this point.

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