The leader of the Commons and former foreign secretary believes that allowing Israel to continue its assault risks destabilising the Lebanese government and fuelling further terrorism in the Middle East.

In a statement to Muslim community leaders in his Blackburn constituency last week, Straw voiced the concerns of several cabinet colleagues, saying: “Disproportionate action only escalates an already dangerous situation.”

“One of many serious concerns I have is that the continuation of such tactics by the Israelis could further destabilise the already fragile Lebanese nation. If you want to go for Hezbollah, go for Hezbollah, not the whole Lebanese nation,” he said.

The minister did not clear his comments with Blair, although the prime minister was made aware of what he planned to say.

Blair’s critics will be further dismayed by Israel’s failure yesterday to agree to a call by the United Nations for a three-day truce in south Lebanon so that help could be given to children, the elderly and the disabled who are trapped in the area.

To make matters worse for the prime minister, the first of two US planes bound for Tel Aviv carrying “hazardous” cargo touched down at Prestwick airport, Ayrshire, yesterday as Labour MPs attacked Blair for allowing Britain to be the “in-flight fueller” for Israel-bound bombs.

Blair, speaking in California yesterday, rejected criticism of the flights. He said: “We should just apply the rules in the appropriate way, which is what we are doing . . . What happens at Prestwick airport is not going to determine whether we get a ceasefire in the Lebanon.”

In a speech at the Pebble Beach resort near San Francisco today, Blair will also face down his critics and refuse to condemn the Israeli military action as excessive. He warned Hezbollah last night that “they will face the full force of the international community” if they failed to co-operate with the international stabilisation force for which he has agreed with President George W Bush to seek a new United Nations resolution to set up.

At home there are signs that this deal has failed to quell a ministerial revolt.

One cabinet minister said: “It is a step forward but the situation is disastrous. It is too little, too late from Bush. Everyone understands that Israel has got to respond to Hezbollah rocket attacks, but to go and bomb Lebanon is outrageous. That is the view of the parliamentary party.”

Gordon Brown, who is in Fife on paternity leave, is said to be privately “fuming” that government colleagues have failed to cultivate closer contact with Ehud Olmert, the new Israeli prime minister, to allow them to exert influence there independently of Washington.

The chancellor formed a close bond with Olmert, formerly Israel’s finance minister, on a visit to the Middle East last year.

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