The international community has in general voiced support for the newly-adopted UN Security Council resolution on the Lebanon crisis despite reservations from some Arab countries and Iran's refusal.

The Lebanese cabinet on Saturday agreed to the resolution after intense discussion during a four-hour meeting, but had some reservations, Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said.

Two Hezbollah members at the cabinet meeting criticized the resolution for failing to condemn the destruction Israel has inflicted on Lebanon.

The government's acceptance of the resolution came hours after Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said his militia group would abide by any ceasefire brokered by the United Nations and would not block the approval of the resolution by the government.

On late Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert accepted the UN resolution.

However, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said on Saturday that Israel would press ahead with its military offensive in south Lebanon until the cabinet approves the ceasefire deal.

The Israeli cabinet was expected to vote on the resolution on Sunday.

On Friday, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1701 which calls for Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon and authorizes an increase in the existing UN forces in Lebanon to 15,000 troops to help Lebanese troops take control of south Lebanon as Israel withdraws.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said the resolution marks the first step in finding a sustainable and lasting solution to the conflict in Lebanon.

He urged the international community to give the Lebanese government all possible help so that it can effectively exercise its sovereignty and safeguard its territorial integrity.

U.S. President George W. Bush said he welcomed the resolution and urged the international community to "turn words into action."

China said it welcomed the resolution and hoped all concerned sides will implement the resolution in a tangible manner, resume peace and stability in the Middle East region at an early date, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Russia, calling the resolution "a first important step on the path to overcoming this extremely dangerous crisis," said it expected all sides involved in the conflict to abide "strictly" by the resolution, according to a statement of the Foreign Ministry.

European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Javier Solana said the imposition of a rapid ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah was the prime aim of a UN resolution calling for an end to the fighting.

Solana told reporters in Beirut it would only take "hours" for Israeli troops to withdraw from Lebanon and for a strengthened UN force to deploy in its border area once a ceasefire was imposed.

Benita Ferrero-Waldner, EU commissioner for external relations, also welcomed the resolution, saying "the ground has been laid for a sustainable settlement of the current conflict."

British Prime Minister Tony Blair welcomed the resolution, saying: "With this resolution now adopted, we must work to address the underlying root causes of this conflict."

French President Jacques Chirac said France supported the resolution and is willing to contribute more troops to a UN force in south Lebanon.

In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel urged the "swift and consistent" implementation of the resolution.

Italy, Spain, Portugal, Slovenia, New Zealand, Australia, Japan and Singapore also expressed their support for the resolution.

However, Arab League Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs Ahmed bin Helli on Saturday expressed reservations on the resolution, saying it did not hold Israel responsible for its offensive on Lebanon, and even failed to blame Israel for the outcome of its offensive.

He said the resolution also failed to equally tackle the issue of the prisoners -- the two Israeli soldiers held by Hezbollah and the Lebanese detainees in Israel.

However, he said the resolution was the best it could have for the time being in light of "a different international equation."

Secretary General Abdul Rahman al-Attiya of the Gulf Cooperation Council condemned Israel for continuing military actions against Lebanon after the resolution was adopted.

Al-Attiya criticized the resolution for failing to take into full account Lebanon's interests, unity, security and stability.

Some key Middle East players like Egypt, Jordan, Palestine and Qatar also expressed the hope on Saturday that the resolution would help bring the conflict to an end.

Iran, however, rejected the resolution, saying it was biased because it called ambiguously for an end to "offensive" Israeli operations.