A joint statement issued by the United States, France, and several other nations on Wednesday called for a 21-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, with the aim of brokering a permanent peace agreement. The proposal, which was presented to the United Nations Security Council, comes as Israel has intensified its military campaign against Hezbollah, a terrorist organization based in southern Lebanon.
The statement, which was signed by representatives from the US, France, Australia, Canada, the European Union, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and Qatar, urges both Israel and Lebanon to comply with the ceasefire. However, the text does not specifically mention Hezbollah, which has been the primary target of Israel’s military action.
Hezbollah has been in violation of a ceasefire agreement since October, when it began firing on Israeli territory. The original ceasefire, established under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 in 2006, required Hezbollah to disarm and vacate the border area. However, the UN has failed to enforce the agreement, allowing Hezbollah to maintain a significant military presence in southern Lebanon.
Israel has been responding to Hezbollah’s aggression, and its military efforts have resulted in significant damage to the terrorist organization’s infrastructure and leadership. However, the international community has been pressing for a ceasefire, and the US and France have taken the lead in calling for a diplomatic solution.
The proposal for a 21-day ceasefire is seen as a compromise, with the aim of creating a window for negotiations to take place. However, the terms of the proposal have been met with skepticism by some, particularly the demand that Israel abandon a strategic observation post on its side of the border. This has been seen as a concession to Hezbollah, which has been accused of using the post as a pretext for its aggression.
The US special envoy to the region, Ambassador Amos Hochstein, has been involved in efforts to broker a diplomatic agreement, but so far, these efforts have been unsuccessful. The Israeli government has described Hochstein as “talented” but unable to resolve the crisis.
