US and allies call for 21-day ceasefire across Lebanon-Israel border

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - WASHINGTON — Allies including the US, UK and EU have called for a temporary ceasefire in Lebanon, following an escalation in fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

The 12-strong bloc proposed an immediate 21-day pause in fighting "to provide space for diplomacy toward the conclusion of a diplomatic settlement" and a ceasefire in Gaza.

In a joint statement, they said the hostilities were "intolerable" and presented an "unacceptable risk of a broader regional escalation" that was neither in the interest of the people of Israel or Lebanon.

It comes after Israel’s military chief told troops on Wednesday that extensive air strikes in Lebanon targeting Hezbollah could pave the way for them to “enter enemy territory”.

The remarks by Lt Gen Halevi are the plainest indication yet from a senior figure that a ground invasion into Lebanon may be imminent.

The joint statement was signed by the US, Australia, Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and Qatar.

It followed a meeting of world leaders at the UN General Assembly in New York.

A separate joint statement by US President Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron said it was time for a settlement "that ensures safety and security to enable civilians to return to their homes".

The current hostilities threaten "a much broader conflict, and harm to civilians", they said.

"We therefore have worked together in recent days on a joint call for a temporary ceasefire to give diplomacy a chance to succeed and avoid further escalations across the border."

President Biden briefly spoke to reporters at the White House on Wednesday evening, saying there is "significant support from Europe as well as the Arab nations ... it’s important the war does not widen".

A senior administration official told the BBC neither Israel nor Lebanon has accepted the proposal - although the US is in touch with both governments. Official responses are expected within hours.

The official said a 21-day pause in fighting would be a “sustained phase” that would allow for further negotiations to take place to reach a “complicated agreement”.

They added that the US is negotiating with Lebanon’s government - rather than Hezbollah. It would then be the responsibility of the Lebanese government to engage with “non-state actors”.

Earlier in New York, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged an immediate ceasefire, and said "hell is breaking loose".

Lebanese PM Najib Mikati said his country is "facing a blatant violation of our sovereignty and human rights through the brutal practices of the Israeli enemy".

He added he hoped he could leave the UN session with a "serious solution" to "put pressure on Israel to achieve an immediate ceasefire on all fronts". Asked by Reuters if a ceasefire can be reached soon, he responded: "Hopefully, yes."

Also speaking earlier, Israel's envoy to the UN, Danny Danon, said it was grateful for diplomatic efforts to avoid escalation but would "use all means at our disposal, in accordance with international law, to achieve our aims".

He said Israel "does not seek a full-scale war", and has made its desire for peace "clear".

Danon added that Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu will arrive in New York on Thursday, have bilateral meetings later that day and speak at the General Assembly the following morning.

More than 600 people have been reported killed across Lebanon since Monday, when Israel began an intense air campaign to destroy what it said was infrastructure built up by Hezbollah since they last fought a war in 2006.

Another 90,000 people in Lebanon have been newly displaced, adding to the 110,000 who had fled their homes before the escalation, according to the UN. Almost 40,000 are living in shelters across the country.

Nearly a year of deadly cross-border fighting sparked by the war in Gaza has also displaced around 70,000 people in northern Israel, whose safe return the Israeli government and military say they want to ensure.

Hezbollah says it is attacking Israel in support of its Palestinian ally, Hamas, and will not stop until there is a ceasefire in Gaza. Both groups are backed by Iran and proscribed as terrorist organizations by Israel, the UK and other countries.

Cross-border fighting continued on Wednesday, with Hezbollah saying it had targeted the headquarters of Israel's Mossad spy agency with a missile fired towards Tel Aviv - the first time Hezbollah has targeted the heavily populated area.

It was intercepted by air defenses and there were no reports of damage or casualties.

Hezbollah also fired dozens more rockets into northern Israel, injuring two.

Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad told reporters that the strikes had killed at least 51 people and injured 223, without saying how many were civilians or combatants.

It comes after an unprecedented wave of attacks on Hezbollah.

Last week, 39 people were killed and thousands were wounded when pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah members to communicate exploded in two waves across Lebanon. Israel is widely believed to be responsible for the attacks.

Then, an Israeli air strike on Friday on the group’s stronghold of Dahieh, in southern Beirut, essentially wiped out the chain of command of its main fighting unit, the Radwan Force. The group confirmed that one of its top military leaders, Ibrahim Aqil, was among 55 people killed. — BBC