The United States and several allies on Wednesday demanded an immediate 21-day ceasefire in the escalating fighting between Israel and Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon.
“The situation between Lebanon and Israel since October 8, 2023, is intolerable and poses an unacceptable risk of broader regional escalation,” read a joint statement issued by the United States, Australia, Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and Qatar.
“This is not in the interest of anyone, neither the people of Israel nor the people of Lebanon,” the statement continued.
“It is time to reach a diplomatic agreement that allows civilians on both sides of the border to return home safely.”
The United States and its allies have argued that diplomacy “cannot succeed in the face of this escalating conflict.”
“We therefore call for an immediate 21-day ceasefire across the border between Lebanon and Israel to allow space for diplomacy with a view to reaching a diplomatic settlement,” the countries demanded.
The statement follows a massive, multi-day bombing campaign in Lebanon that left more than 600 people dead, including several senior Hezbollah commanders.
The attacks represent the deadliest strikes on Lebanon in nearly two decades and have sparked fears of all-out war between Israel and its northern neighbor.
The governments of Israel and Lebanon did not immediately respond to the cease-fire call, according to the Associated Press.
Neither does the Iranian-backed terrorist group.
Senior U.S. officials said all sides were aware of the ceasefire call, the outlet reported, and that Hezbollah would not be a signatory to the deal but could accept its terms if convinced by the Lebanese government.
Officials said they expected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “welcome” the proposal when he addresses the United Nations General Assembly on Friday.
Tens of thousands of people have already fled southern Lebanon and northern Israel amid missile exchanges that have lasted nearly a year since Hamas’ terrorist attack on the Jewish state on October 7, 2023.
Israeli officials have already suggested that a ceasefire could be reached if Hezbollah agrees to stop firing first.
The terror group said it would continue to attack in solidarity with Hamas, vowing revenge for the mass detonations of pagers and walkie-talkies that killed nearly 40 people and wounded more than 3,000 last week.
