Brussels, 19/07/2006 (Agence Europe) - While Israeli bombing of Lebanon (including Beirut) and Hezbollah missile attacks on Israeli towns continue relentlessly, with growing numbers of victims among the civilian populations, the EU High Representative for CFSP, Javier Solana began, on Wednesday, his second official visit to the Middle East in four days to seek to persuade the different parties to accept an immediate ceasefire. Solana's first stop was in Jerusalem where he met Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Wednesday morning. This was followed by talks with Israel's Prime Minister Tzipi Livni and with Shimon Peres. Speaking to the press in Jerusalem, Solana stressed the importance of a ceasefire for putting an end to the suffering of the civilian population, and also for safeguarding the sovereignty of Lebanon and of its democratically elected government. He said bombing on such a massive scale could also make it more difficult to win the confidence and support of the populations when it comes to combating international terrorism. Javier Solana condemned the Hezbollah attacks against Israel and urged the militia to release the two captured Israeli soldiers. On Wednesday evening, Mr Solana had been received in Gaza by the president of the Palestinian Authority, Abu Mazen. On Thursday, he is to go to Ramallah for a meeting with the Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat, before flying from Cairo where a meeting is scheduled on Thursday evening with Egyptian President Hosni Moubarak.