Netanyahu reportedly ordered Israeli military forces to scale back their attacks on Lebanon, according to Israel’s Channel 12 on Thursday morning, without citing sources.
This development comes amid international pressure for a ceasefire in the fighting near the Israel-Lebanon border.
An Israeli official told CNN that discussions on a potential temporary ceasefire with Hezbollah are a key motive for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s trip to New York for the UN General Assembly.
The source noted that it is significant that Netanyahu, who is flying to New York, has not denied reports that the U.S. is pushing for a 21-day ceasefire.
The source added that the main reason for Netanyahu’s trip is these diplomatic talks, and the message from yesterday’s government briefings was that “Israel favors a diplomatic solution.”
Israel’s Finance Minister rejects the possibility of a ceasefire
Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a far-right key ally in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, rejected today the possibility of a ceasefire in the hostilities between the Israeli military and the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah, following international calls for a 21-day truce made by the EU and the U.S., among others.
“The (military) operation in the north must end in only one way: the crushing of Hezbollah and the elimination of its ability to harm the residents of northern Israel,” Smotrich wrote on X.
“We must not give the enemy time to recover from the heavy blows it has suffered and reorganize to continue the war 21 days later,” he added, emphasizing that “Hezbollah’s surrender or war is the only way security will return, along with the residents to the north and to the country.”
What the EU, G7 countries, Australia, and Arab countries demanded
A 21-day ceasefire at the Lebanon-Israel border is being demanded in a joint statement by the European Union, France, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, the U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
The full joint statement reads as follows:
“The situation between Lebanon and Israel since October 8, 2023, is intolerable and presents an unacceptable risk of broader regional escalation. This is in no one’s interest, neither the people of Israel nor the people of Lebanon.
It is time to reach a diplomatic settlement that allows civilians on both sides of the border to return to their homes in safety.
However, diplomacy cannot succeed amid the escalation of this conflict.
Therefore, we call for an immediate 21-day ceasefire at the Lebanon-Israel border to allow diplomacy the space to reach a diplomatic settlement in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the implementation of UNSC Resolution 2735 concerning the Gaza ceasefire.
We call on all parties, including the Governments of Israel and Lebanon, to agree to the temporary ceasefire immediately, in accordance with UNSC Resolution 1701 during this period, and give a real chance for a diplomatic settlement.
Afterward, we are fully prepared to support all diplomatic efforts to reach an agreement between Lebanon and Israel within this period, building on the efforts of recent months that will put an end to this crisis.”
