KUN0096 4 GEN 0370 FRANCE /AFP -GWB3 POL-US-MIDEAST-SINIORA Siniora says Israel's attacks "state-sponsored terrorism" WASHINGTON, July 30 (KUNA) -- Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora on Sunday appealed to the American people to put pressure on the US Administration to demand an immediate ceasefire to end what he called Israel's "state-sponsored terrorism." In an interview with the CBS "face the national program," Siniora called on the American people to stand for peace and to ask for an immediate ceasefire. "The Israelis are committing really, state-sponsored terrorism. These crimes are against humanity that are being committed by the Israelis," he said. Siniora was referring to the Israeli air attacks on the village of Qana, which killed 54 people including 37 children in the largest casualty tolls among civilians since the war erupted 19 days ago. The United States called the Qana attack "horrible event" but stopped short of demanding an immediate ceasefire, sticking to its position that a ceasefire must be coupled with a lasting peace, and not a temporary cessation of hostilities. So far, about 700 people were killed since the war erupted, according to Siniora, and more than 3000 others were injured while hundreds of thousands of Lebanese citizens and tourists fled the country seeking safe shelter. Siniora, on Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's last-minute cancellation of a scheduled visit to Beirut, said it would be worthless to schedule such a visit without carrying a clear message of an immediate ceasefire and end of hostilities. Rice called off the visit to Beirut after receiving "unwelcome" signs from the Lebanese officials, ending a tour of the Middle East that included only one stop to Tel Aviv where she failed to secure an end to military attacks during her talks with the Israeli government. The latest Qana attacks, termed now as "Qana 2", drew an international outcry against Israel and the United States, specially from the Arab world and prompted UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to request an emergency Security Council meeting to issue a statement demanding an immediate ceasefire. It is not clear yet whether the United States would support such measure. (end) sa.mab KUNA 302118 Jul 06NNNN