BEIRUT, Lebanon - Lebanon's parliament speaker on Saturday urged Arab planes and ships to break Israel's air and sea blockade of Lebanon, describing it as a "military aggression."

Israel says the restrictions are necessary to prevent Hezbollah from rearming, while Lebanon says they hamper the delivery of food and medical supplies and put a damper on attempts to revive its badly battered economy.

During a special session of parliament, speaker Nabih Berri proposed a series of protest actions to draw international attention to the blockade that has continued since cease-fire went into effect Aug. 14, ending the fighting between Hezbollah and Israel.

"It is a military aggression that is an attack on national sovereignty and a clear violation of resolution 1701," Berri said referring to the United Nations resolution that opened the way for an end to the 34 days of fighting.

Parliament plans to send a letter to Arab governments urging them to ignore the blockade and to encourage those that have diplomatic ties with Israel to reduce. And it will ask those who do business with Israel to put it on hold.

"We are not asking for the severing of diplomatic ties, but at least the withdrawal of envoys, and an end or freezing of economic ties with Israel as long as there is a blockade of Lebanon," said Berri, a close ally of Hezbollah.

Jordan, Egypt and Mauritania have full diplomatic ties with Israel. Several others are believed to quietly conduct business with the Jewish state.

Berri said parliament will also send letters to legislatures around the world and that Lebanese lawmakers would meet with envoys of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council to implore them to work for the lifting of the blockade.

The speaker launched an open-ended sit-in by parliamentarians to protest Lebanon's plight during which they intend to take turns staying overnight in the building in downtown Beirut.

Prime Minister Fuad Saniora condemned what he called the "unjust, illegal blockade" during the session.

Although Saniora did not say the government fully adopts the measures parliament intends, he said they contained "good ideas" that the government could use in its own efforts.

Some lawmakers criticized the United States over the continued blockade.

"We hold the U.S. administration responsible for the blockade," said Hussein Hajj Hassan, a Hezbollah lawmaker. "The siege is an attempt to compensate Israel after its military and political failure."

"Unfortunately, the United States is a partner in this aggression," said Information Minister Ghazi Aridi, a member of the parliamentary majority that backs Saniora's government.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has called for an end to the blockade, but was rebuffed by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert last week on a visit to Israel.

Israel has said it will only lift the blockade after Lebanese borders and points of entry are secured. Israeli officials want U.N. troops deployed along Lebanon's border with Syria, but Damascus rejects that as a hostile act.

Currently, Israel allows only Lebanese and Jordanian commercial flights to land in Beirut, on condition they make a stop in Amman before proceeding to the Lebanese capital. It has permitted flights carrying food and medical supplies from Egypt and Jordan to land in the Lebanese capital. Ships cleared by the Israelis are allowed entry to Lebanese seaports. (AP)