US, France, and global coalition call for 21-day ceasefire on Israel-Lebanon border

The United States, France, and a coalition of Arab and European nations have jointly called for an immediate 21-day ceasefire along the Israel-Lebanon border, following extensive talks at the United Nations.

According to Al Jazeera, the proposed ceasefire would cover the Blue Line, the border separating Lebanon and Israel, and aims to create space for negotiations toward a potential diplomatic solution.

“We call on all parties, including the governments of Israel and Lebanon, to endorse the temporary ceasefire immediately,” the countries stated in a joint declaration issued by the White House today.

Alongside the United States and France, countries advocating for a halt in the conflict include Qatar, Australia, Canada, the European Union, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

During the United Nations Security Council session, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the situation in Lebanon is rapidly deteriorating, stating that “hell is breaking loose” and stressing the urgent need to prevent a full-scale war.

He added: “To all sides, let’s say in one clear voice: Stop the killing and destruction, tone down the rhetoric and threats, and step back from the brink.”

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot urged both sides to “accept it without delay” emphasising that “war is not unavoidable.”

During the same session, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati expressed support for the French-US proposal, which he said “enjoys international support and which would put an end to this dirty war.”

Mikati also called on the council to “guarantee the withdrawal of Israel from all the occupied Lebanese territories and the violations that are repeated on a daily basis.”

In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, en route to New York to deliver a speech at the UN, stated he had not yet responded to the ceasefire proposal and had instructed the military to continue its operations.

“The news about a ceasefire – not true. This is an American-French proposal, to which the prime minister did not even respond,” his office said X.

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“The news about the supposed directive to moderate the fighting in the north is also the opposite of the truth. The Prime Minister instructed the army to continue the fighting with full force, and according to the plans presented to him,” it added.

Moreover, Israeli Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, said on X, “There will be no ceasefire in the north. We will continue to fight against the Hezbollah terrorist organisation with all our strength until victory and the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes.”

Israel launched its most intense and deadly bombing campaign against Lebanon in nearly 20 years on Monday killing more than 620 people in just three days.

The relentless fighting has led some neighbouring countries to worry about the safety of their citizens living in Lebanon. Turkiye is making preparations for the possible evacuation of its citizens and foreign nationals from Lebanon, a Turkish Defence Ministry source said on Thursday.

Israel has made a priority of securing its northern border and allowing the return there of some 70,000 residents displaced by near-daily exchanges of fire, which Hezbollah initiated a year ago in solidarity with the Palestinian group, Hamas, in Gaza.

Israel’s air strikes sharply intensified since Monday, when more than 550 people were killed in Lebanon’s deadliest day since the end of a 1975-1990 civil war.

The bombing follows attacks last week when pagers and walkie-talkies exploded across Lebanon, killing scores of people and wounding thousands, including Hezbollah members.