UN Ambassador Bolton: "How Do You Get a Cease-fire with a Terrorist Organization?"

The Security Council remains divided over a cease-fire, with the U.S. siding with Israel.

"The simple reflexive action of asking for a cease-fire is not something that's really appropriate in a situation like this," U.S. Ambassador John Bolton told reporters Wednesday. "How do you get a cease-fire with a terrorist organization? I'm not sure anybody's ever done that before, and I'm not sure it's possible."

Bolton said the U.S. objective is to strengthen the Lebanese government and Lebanese democracy and to ensure that a Security Council resolution adopted in September 2004 is implemented. It calls for the government to extend its control over southern Lebanon, which is now controlled by Hezbollah.