Hezbollah ceasefire/ Lebanon ceasefire proposal/ Israel-Lebanon ceasefire/ Newslooks/ NEW YORK/ UNITED NATIONS/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The U.S., France, and other allies have called for a 21-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah to allow for negotiations amid escalating violence. The conflict has killed over 600 people in Lebanon, and allies hope the pause will prevent broader regional war. The proposal, discussed at the U.N. General Assembly, awaits formal responses from Israel and Hezbollah.
U.S. and Allies Call for Immediate 21-Day Ceasefire Between Israel and Hezbollah: Quick Looks
- The U.S., France, and other allies have urged an immediate 21-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah to facilitate diplomacy and avoid regional escalation.
- More than 600 people have been killed in Lebanon due to Israeli strikes, with fears of a broader conflict growing.
- The ceasefire call came during the U.N. General Assembly in New York, involving a coalition including Saudi Arabia, Japan, and the European Union.
- U.S. and French officials aim to use the ceasefire to restart negotiations on the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza, which has raged for nearly a year.
- Israel’s Foreign Minister rejected the ceasefire, vowing continued military action until Hezbollah is neutralized.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not yet formally responded to the proposal, but Israeli officials are in discussions.
- Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati has expressed support for the ceasefire plan to end what he described as a “dirty war” affecting civilians.
- The Biden administration continues to emphasize diplomatic efforts to prevent an all-out war while raising pressure through sanctions on Iranian oil shipments that finance Hezbollah.
US, Allies Call for Ceasefire Amid Israel-Hezbollah Escalation
Deep Look:
The United States, along with France and several other allies, called on Wednesday for an immediate 21-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah to prevent further escalation of violence that has already claimed over 600 lives in Lebanon. The joint statement, issued during the U.N. General Assembly in New York, expressed grave concern over the potential for a broader regional war and urged all parties, including the governments of Israel and Lebanon, to endorse the ceasefire.
The call for a temporary ceasefire was supported by a coalition of global powers, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Japan, along with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The U.S. and its allies framed the ceasefire as a necessary step to allow diplomacy and humanitarian efforts to proceed while reducing the risk of further casualties in a conflict that has devastated civilian populations.
Regional Escalation and the Urgency of Diplomacy
The recent surge in violence between Israel and Hezbollah follows months of cross-border skirmishes that have intensified into all-out hostilities. https://www.cnn.com/based in southern Lebanon, has launched hundreds of rockets into northern Israel, prompting severe Israeli airstrikes. The fighting has displaced tens of thousands on both sides of the border, adding to the humanitarian crisis already unfolding due to the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.
The Biden administration, represented by https://www.cnn.com/ has been actively lobbying international leaders to support the ceasefire. Behind-the-scenes negotiations at the U.N. General Assembly saw Blinken engaging with key allies, including Qatar and Saudi Arabia, to rally backing for the ceasefire proposal.
Israel’s Response and Hezbollah’s Role
Despite growing international pressure, Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz rejected the idea of a ceasefire, stating that Israel intends to continue its military operations “with full force until victory.” Katz, acting in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s absence, reaffirmed that Israel’s goal is to eliminate Hezbollah’s military capacity and secure the northern region for tens of thousands of Israeli citizens who have been forced from their homes.
While Hezbollah is not expected to formally sign the ceasefire, U.S. officials believe that Lebanon’s government would coordinate its acceptance of the terms with the militant group. For Israel, a ceasefire might present an opportunity to resume broader peace negotiations, including efforts to resolve the nearly year-long war with Hamas in Gaza, which began after Hamas’ October 7 attack.
Netanyahu, who is en route to the U.N. General Assembly, has not yet given a formal response to the ceasefire proposal. However, Israeli officials are reportedly open to considering the plan, provided that it includes guarantees for the safe return of displaced civilians to their homes in northern Israel.
International Support and Sanctions on Iran
in pushing for the ceasefire, emphasizing the need for a temporary halt to the violence to create space for diplomacy. Macron and other European leaders have expressed concerns that the escalating conflict could destabilize the region even further.
Biden, in a recent television interview, warned of the real possibility of “an all-out war” in the Middle East but remained optimistic about diplomatic efforts to avert such an outcome. He suggested that a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah could pave the way for broader peace talks, including negotiations to end hostilities between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
In a bid to pressure Hezbollah, the U.S. government imposed new sanctions targeting Iran’s petroleum industry, which provides financial support to Hezbollah. The sanctions aim to disrupt Hezbollah’s funding network and weaken its ability to continue military operations against Israel.
Ceasefire Proposal’s Broader Impact
If the 21-day ceasefire takes effect, it would provide a crucial pause in hostilities, allowing for humanitarian assistance to reach affected civilians in Lebanon and northern Israel. It would also create an opening for renewed diplomatic efforts to address the larger Israel-Hezbollah and Israel-Hamas conflicts.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has publicly expressed his support for the ceasefire, calling for an end to what he described as a “dirty war” that has ravaged civilian infrastructure and displaced tens of thousands of people. Mikati urged the U.N. Security Council to enforce the ceasefire and called for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon.
While there is still uncertainty about Hezbollah’s response, the 21-day ceasefire proposal could serve as a vital first step toward de-escalating tensions in the region and preventing a wider war.
