BRUSSELS, Belgium — The European Union criticized Israel on Thursday for using "disproportionate'' force in its attacks on Lebanon while Russia warned against a dangerous escalation of the Mideast conflict.

However, U.S. President George W. Bush laid the blame for the violence squarely on Hezbollah, calling it a "group of terrorists who want to stop the advance of peace.''

Canada also condemned Hezbollah's attack on Israel, urging all parties to act with restraint and protect innocent civilian lives.

"We urge Hezbollah to immediately and unconditionally release the Israeli soldiers,'' Foreign Minister Peter MacKay said in a statement, calling also on Iran and Syria, both long-time supporters of Hezbollah, to cease all financial and other assistance to the organisation.

In Brussels, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said he was planning a peace mission to the Middle East.

"The European Union is greatly concerned about the disproportionate use of force by Israel in Lebanon in response to attacks by Hezbollah on Israel,'' according to a statement issued by Finland, which holds the EU's rotating presidency. "The presidency deplores the loss of civilian lives and the destruction of civilian infrastructure. The imposition of an air and sea blockade on Lebanon cannot be justified.''

In the EU's strongest comment on the escalating violence, the statement said "actions, which are contrary to international humanitarian law, can only aggravate the vicious circle of violence and retribution, and cannot serve anyone's legitimate security interests.''

It called for the immediate release of the Israeli soldiers, and urged "all countries in the region to work for the restoration of calm in order to avoid the further escalation of the situation into war.''

EU diplomats said it was unclear when Solana would leave, but it could be before Monday's meeting of European foreign ministers in Brussels.

France's foreign minister, meanwhile, condemned Israel's attacks as "a disproportionate act of war.'' Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy also told France's Europe-1 radio that France was calling for "the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon to be preserved.''

He said France would support the Lebanese request that the UN Security Council take up the issue as soon as possible.

In Germany en route to the G8 summit in Russia, President Bush said Israel has the right to defend itself.

He laid the blame for the escalation of violence on Hezbollah and said Syria "needs to be held to account'' for supporting and harbouring Hezbollah.

"The soldiers need to be returned,'' Bush said. "It's really sad where people are willing to take innocent life in order to stop that progress (for peace). As a matter of fact, it's pathetic.'' At the same time he said he was concerned that Israel's offensive could undermine Lebanon's fragile government.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel appealed for restraint from both sides. But she suggested they do not share equal blame, repeatedly noting that the violence began with the soldiers' capture.

"I think that one needs to be careful to make a distinction between the root causes and the consequences of something,'' she said.

In the Middle East, Egypt warned that the violence could engulf the entire region in conflict and called on all sides to avoid "being dragged into a new cycle of violence and counter-violence.''

"Targeting civilians under the pretext of fighting terrorism is unacceptable and unjustified. Israeli practices violate international law,'' Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit.

But he condemned attacks on civilians by both sides _ a comment that could apply to Hezbollah's rocket attacks on northern Israel.

"We condemn any military action that targets civilians. We consider it a terrorist act, regardless of who the civilians are or its source,'' he said.

In Jordan, the second Arab country after Egypt to have a signed peace treaty with Israel, the government issued a statement condemning "Israel's use of force against unarmed civilians and the outcome in terms of the human loss and destruction of civil institutions.''

But it clearly criticized Hezbollah, saying, "Jordan stands against whoever exposes the Palestinian people and their cause, Lebanon and its sovereignty to unexpected dangers.''