WASHINGTON -- The United States yesterday looked past disagreements with allies over the timing of a cease-fire in the Middle East, focusing instead on the makeup and mandate of a peacekeeping force that ultimately could patrol southern Lebanon.

The Bush administration also sought ways to increase the flow of U.S. and international assistance to desperate Lebanese, although President Bush declined to criticize Israel for tactics that have killed hundreds and displaced thousands in a battle with Hezbollah.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, in Malaysia for an Asian regional conference, is expected to return to the Mideast this weekend. She is expected in Israel for meetings Sunday with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, said Western diplomats who asked not to be identified, because Ms. Rice's travel plans have not been announced. At least one other stop is also likely.

Though a cease-fire is still to come, U.S. planning is turning to the possible aftermath.

A senior political aide to Ms. Rice huddled yesterday with European Union diplomats in Brussels, Belgium, to help organize what would probably be an international peacekeeping force dominated by European troops. The French, once a colonial power in Lebanon, may lead the force.

"I don't anticipate American combat power, combat forces, being used in this force," Ms. Rice told reporters en route to the Asia conference.

Her political aide, State Department counselor Philip Zelikow, was also expected to see NATO officials in Europe, department spokesman Tom Casey said. "This is looking toward how we go about designing and organizing the international force that was agreed upon" at the Rome session Wednesday that Ms. Rice attended with European and Arab diplomats, he said.

Senior White House and State Department Mideast aides were in Israel yesterday for meetings on the international force and other issues with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.

Ms. Rice is cutting short the Asia trip and told reporters that she was "willing and ready to go back to the Middle East at any time" to work for a sustainable peace plan and to smooth the delivery of humanitarian supplies.

Ms. Rice is not expected to press Mr. Olmert for a quick end to Israel's assault, despite international pressure to limit civilian deaths and a mild rebuke to Israel issued yesterday by the United Nations Security Council over its bombing of a U.N. post in Lebanon that killed four unarmed military observers.

Lebanese leaders have been disappointed with the diplomatic mission that Ms. Rice began with a visit Monday to Beirut. They have repeatedly asked for help bringing the fighting to an immediate end, and have supporters ranging from U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the Vatican.

Israel wants more time to disable as much of Hezbollah's fighting power as possible in southern Lebanon and Beirut. U.S. and other Western officials say Israel's latest estimates that fighting could last for several more weeks may be unrealistic in light of world opinion.

"Now is the time to address the root cause of the problem, and the root cause of the problem is terrorist groups trying to stop the advance of democracy," Mr. Bush said at the White House. "Our objective is to make sure that those who use terrorist tactics are not rewarded."