The United States, France, and multiple Arab and European countries are urging an immediate 21-day ceasefire along the Israel-Lebanon border. The pause in hostilities aims to allow negotiations for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned against the consequences of an all-out war and called for an end to the killing and destruction.
Various countries, including Qatar, Australia, Canada, and Saudi Arabia, are supporting the call for a ceasefire. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot also backed the proposal, hoping to bring an end to the ongoing conflict.
While Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid supports the ceasefire proposal, he emphasized the need to remove Hezbollah from Israel’s northern border. There is skepticism in Lebanon about the US’s ability to rein in Israel due to the substantial military assistance provided to Israel by the US.
It is expected that the warring parties will decide on the ceasefire proposal within hours. Hezbollah is unlikely to agree to a ceasefire as long as there is a war in Gaza. The US officials believe that Israel will accept the ceasefire proposal, possibly when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the UN General Assembly.
The conflict has resulted in significant casualties and displacement, with over 620 people dead and 500,000 displaced in Lebanon. The international community, led by the US and France, is working to bring an end to the violence and seek a peaceful resolution to the crisis.
Source
Photo credit www.aljazeera.com