Concerns are growing about a further escalation on the Israeli-Lebanese border. Several countries, including Germany, are therefore calling for a three-week ceasefire. According to France, “important progress has already been made.”
The USA, Germany and other countries have called for a 21-day ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah. This should come into force immediately and create space for diplomacy, the countries declared in a joint appeal negotiated on the sidelines of the general debate of the UN General Assembly.
The recent fighting is unacceptable and “represents an unacceptable risk of broader regional escalation,” the appeal said. The proposal, negotiated by the US and France, was also supported by Australia, Canada, the European Union, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
A more comprehensive agreement should be worked out during the three-week ceasefire in Lebanon, a US official told the Reuters news agency.
France: “Important progress made”
In a joint statement, US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron said it was time for an agreement on the Israeli-Lebanese border to ensure security so that civilians could return to their homes. Given the fighting since October last year, and especially in the past two weeks, there is a risk of a much larger conflict and harm to the civilian population.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot announced to the UN Security Council that the details of the proposal would be presented shortly. “We are counting on the two parties to accept it immediately in order to protect the civilian population and enable diplomatic negotiations,” said Barrot. Before the meeting, he said: “We have made important progress in the last few hours and will continue our efforts in the coming hours.” He plans to travel to Lebanon for negotiations this week.
Israel and Lebanon in principle for ceasefire
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati hoped the initiative would be a success. France and the USA were working hard “to issue a joint communiqué that would enjoy international support and would end this dirty war,” he told the UN Security Council. Israel was responsible for an unprecedented escalation in Lebanon and had killed hundreds of civilians within a few days, “including young people, women and children.”
Israel welcomes a ceasefire and prefers a diplomatic solution in Lebanon, said Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon. However, if diplomacy fails, Israel will use all means at its disposal.
Hundreds of dead and a possible ground offensive
The situation in the region has been extremely tense for a long time, and the military conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has recently intensified. Apparently coordinated explosions and Israeli air strikes killed hundreds of people in Lebanon, while Hezbollah in turn fired rockets at northern Israel in particular and, most recently, at the greater Tel Aviv area for the first time.
Israel's Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi instructed Israeli army soldiers to prepare for a possible ground offensive.
