While Israel appears to be preparing a ground offensive in Lebanon, numerous countries – especially the USA – are pushing for a diplomatic solution. They are initially calling for a 21-day ceasefire.
New York – By calling for a 21-day ceasefire in the Middle East, a group of states around the USA and Germany, together with important Arab countries, is increasing the pressure on Israel and Hezbollah. The pause in fighting should create space for a diplomatic solution to the conflict between Israel and the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon, as well as the Gaza war that has been going on for almost a year, according to a joint statement by the group of ten states and the EU.
A major regional escalation is in no one’s interest, neither the people of Israel nor the people of Lebanon, it continues. Diplomacy cannot succeed if the conflict escalates. All parties are called upon to approve the proposal for a temporary ceasefire and thus give a diplomatic agreement a real chance. The statement was issued jointly by the USA, Germany, the EU, Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
Proposal from the USA and France
Their collective appeal is based on an initiative by the USA and France. US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron had previously declared in a joint statement that it was time for an agreement on the Israeli-Lebanese border that would guarantee security so that civilians could return to their homes. In view of the fighting since October last year and especially in the past two weeks, there is a risk of a much larger conflict and harm to the civilian population. That is why they have been working on a joint call for a temporary ceasefire.
Biden: Diplomatic solution is only way
In his speech to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Biden warned against a further escalation of the conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia. “A full-scale war is in no one’s interest,” he said. A diplomatic solution remains the only path to lasting security in the Middle East.
The situation in the region has long been extremely tense, and the military conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has recently made it even more serious. Apparently coordinated explosions and Israeli air strikes killed hundreds of people in Lebanon, while Hezbollah fired rockets at northern Israel in particular and, most recently, at the greater Tel Aviv area for the first time. Israel’s Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi said the army was also preparing for a possible ground offensive.
The Israeli attacks are intended to force Hezbollah to withdraw from the border area. Meanwhile, the war between Israel’s army and the terrorist organization Hamas, which is allied with Hezbollah and also supported by Iran, continues in the Gaza Strip. Tens of thousands of civilians have been killed and hundreds of thousands displaced. dpa
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