Israel rejects Lebanon ceasefire plan ahead of Netanyahu speech at UN

Israel rejects the call for a 21-day Lebanon ceasefire while pledging military action against Hezbollah “until victory,” ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to the United Nations General Assembly today.

The US, France, and many other allies welcomed the ceasefire proposal introduced after the meeting between President Joe Biden of the United States of America and French President Emmanuel Macron. But Netanyahu flatly rejected the plan, asking his country’s military to “remain with full force” in all its actions.

The White House reacted highly to the rejection, underlining the great diplomatic efforts that went into the initiative on implementing a ceasefire. National Security spokesman John Kirby said the proposition is based on recent friendly conversations with Israeli officials.

Macron later described it as a “mistake” on Netanyahu’s part for not accepting the ceasefire and warned that he would be held responsible if such an escalation happens within the region. He acknowledged that the plan had been crafted in close consultation with Netanyahu.

As for the joint statement on the ceasefire, it’s worth noting that the situation in Lebanon is “intolerable,” which serves no interest for either country. Recent air raids carried out by Israel have reportedly injured and killed innocent people. Lebanon’s health ministry reported that Israeli strikes killed 92 people in the last 24 hours.

Since the resumption of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah in October, over 1,500 people have been killed. Some 118,000 people have been displaced in the past week alone in Lebanon, the International Organization for Migration said yesterday.

Against these tensions, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has taken a meeting with Israeli officials, once again calling for a ceasefire to enable those on both sides to return home. All these niceties in the diplomacy aside, Israel has just secured an $8.7 billion aid package with the U.S. to restock its military programs and seems in no mood to use military aid to pry a ceasefire from Tel Aviv.

Israel conducted airstrikes on Hezbollah’s stronghold in Beirut, announcing they killed Mohammed Srur, the commander of Hezbollah’s drone unit. The operation forms part of a broader military strategy: Israel’s military chief has asked for the preparation of a possible ground offensive.

Regional tensions are still rife, and the prospect of a war of all-out proportions now hangs in the balance, fueled by the missile threats of Huthi rebels in Yemen, who pledged their support for Hezbollah. Prime importance for the stabilization of the Lebanese situation is diplomatic moves aimed at settling the dispute in Gaza, although a ceasefire will remain out of reach as talks go on.