TEL AVIV: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday dismissed a joint call from the United States, France, and other allies for a 21-day ceasefire in the ongoing airstrikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon and ordered the Israeli military to escalate its operations in Lebanon.
Netanyahu’s office stated that the prime minister had not even responded to the ceasefire proposal, which aims to provide space for diplomatic negotiations. The statement emphasized that he directed the army to “continue the airstrikes with full force.”
The call for a ceasefire was issued following a series of intense Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon, which have killed hundreds and displaced tens of thousands of civilians in Lebanon.
US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, and leaders from several other nations expressed their concerns in a joint statement, describing the situation in Lebanon as “intolerable” and detrimental to both Israeli and Lebanese populations.
The leaders’ statement highlighted the urgent need for a ceasefire, emphasizing that it would create a necessary window for diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving a sustainable resolution to the conflict. This appeal was made as the leaders convened on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The call for a ceasefire comes just hours after Israeli army chief Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi instructed troops to prepare for a potential ground entry into Lebanon. Israeli airstrikes intensified this week, resulting in more than 600 deaths across Lebanon.
In retaliation, Hezbollah has launched barrages of rockets into Israel and claimed to have targeted Tel Aviv with a ballistic missile.
