Three weeks of tensions between Hezbollah and Israel came to an end after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued conflicting statements on the proposal within hours after a new Israeli attack on Lebanon killed 25 people in the early hours of Friday. Optimism that a ceasefire could be reached appeared to have receded. .
In his latest statement released on Friday night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged that Israel had been consulted on a US-led ceasefire proposal and condemned media reports on the issue.
“Israel shares the objective of the U.S.-led effort to ensure that people along its northern border can safely and securely return home. The U.S. role is essential to promoting regional stability and security. Therefore, Israel highly values the efforts of the United States in this regard,” the statement said.
However, an earlier release earlier Thursday said “reports about a ceasefire are false.” This is a proposal from the United States and France, and the Prime Minister has not responded. ”
Prime Minister Netanyahu's two statements appeared to echo his reaction to previous US-led diplomatic efforts over the Gaza ceasefire, which Israel backed out of in the face of opposition from coalition members. had indicated that it would be more open to private discussions.
This appears to be not the first time that U.S. officials sensed Netanyahu's failure: When the United States, France, and other allies announced plans for a 21-day ceasefire, Netanyahu initially said he would not “participate” in the plan. The proposal was “coordinated” with Israel, he said.
White House National Security Press Secretary John Kirby told reporters on Thursday: “We believe that in drafting the document and distributing it, the Israelis were fully informed and fully aware of every word of the document. There was a good reason.” He added that America “wouldn't have done that if he didn't believe the song would be taken seriously.”
The late-night statement came after Lebanon's Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said the escalating violence threatened Lebanon's “very existence” and urged all parties to implement the proposals.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly in New York, Bou Habib said the proposed US-France ceasefire was “an opportunity to create momentum and take steps towards ending this crisis”.
Earlier, speaking at the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the Israel Defense Forces “will continue to fight with all our might” to achieve the war goals. These war goals include the safe return of more than 60,000 Israelis forced to abandon their homes in northern Israel due to Hezbollah bombing that began on October 8 last year, the day after the start of the Gaza war.
The International Organization for Migration estimates that more than 200,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon since Hezbollah, in support of Hamas, began firing rockets into northern Israel in October.
Lebanese officials say 25 people have been killed in Israeli attacks on Lebanon since early Friday morning, including a family of nine whose three-story building was destroyed by a missile in the Lebanese border town of Chebaa. are.
On Thursday, Lebanon's Health Ministry announced that nearly 700 people have been killed this week as Israel dramatically escalates attacks it says are targeting Hezbollah's military capabilities. A total of 1,540 people have been killed within the country's borders since October 7, according to health officials.
The Israel Defense Forces announced that Mohammad Suroor, the commander of a Hezbollah drone unit, was killed in an attack on the southern outskirts of Beirut. Israel carried out several attacks in Beirut this week targeting Hezbollah leaders.
The United Nations refugee agency said “well over 30,000” people have crossed from Lebanon to neighboring Syria in the past 72 hours following fighting between Hezbollah and Israeli forces in Lebanon.
Gonzalo Vargas Llosa, head of the Syrian refugee agency UNHCR, said about half of the displaced were children and young people. He said about 80% are Syrians who have returned to their home countries, and the rest are Lebanese.
“Of course they are people fleeing bombs and trying to enter a country that has suffered from its own crisis and violence for 13 years,” he told reporters in Geneva via video from the Lebanese-Syrian border. It's the people.'' Syria is facing “economic collapse,” he said.
“I think this shows that both Syrians and Lebanese have very difficult choices to make,” he said.
After the Beirut explosion, dozens of rockets were fired toward the northern Israeli city of Safed, including one that landed on a road in a nearby town. A total of 175 projectiles were fired from Lebanon on Thursday, the military said. Most were intercepted or fell into open areas, and some started wildfires.
The Israel Defense Forces said on Friday that it had intercepted a missile fired from Yemen that set off an air raid siren across Israel's populated center, including Tel Aviv. About two weeks ago, another missile from Yemen landed in central Israel. The airstrike came after Israel's military commander said on Wednesday that the country was preparing for a possible ground operation in Lebanon.
On Thursday, Israeli military spokesman Avichai Adlai said the military was preparing as it awaited a decision on whether to carry out ground operations, and that the air force had reduced Hezbollah's weapons stockpile and planned further arms transfers from Hezbollah. He reiterated that he is working to stop it. Iran.
Hezbollah has not yet responded to calls for a ceasefire, but Hezbollah and its backer Iran have previously said they would only halt attacks if a ceasefire is reached in the Gaza Strip.
Emmanuel Macron, who supported the 21-day ceasefire proposal with Joe Biden, said Prime Minister Netanyahu would have to take responsibility for regional escalation if he did not agree to a ceasefire. “The proposal that has been submitted is a solid proposal,” the French president said, adding that the plan backed by the United States and the European Union had been prepared in cooperation with Prime Minister Netanyahu himself.
The impact of Netanyahu's ceasefire on domestic politics is that Netanyahu's Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir told the prime minister that if the government agrees to a ceasefire, his party Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) It was revealed that he would not vote for a coalition government. Along with Hezbollah.
“We will not abandon the people of the north. As long as this ceasefire takes effect and Israel is not fighting in the north, Otzma Yehudit will not be involved in the coalition,” Ben Gvir said at a party conference. Ta.
Yair Golan, leader of the opposition Democratic Party, also opposed committing to a three-week ceasefire, saying Israel should first agree to a ceasefire of several days and see how well it would be implemented.
