Allied Nations, Led by U.S. and France, Urge 21-Day Cease-Fire Between Israel and Hezbollah to Prevent Regional Escalation

The U.S., France, and other allies jointly called for an immediate 21-day cease-fire in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which has killed over 600 people in Lebanon in recent days. This joint statement was negotiated during the U.N. General Assembly and aims to provide space for diplomacy, urging Israel, Lebanon, and other parties to endorse the cease-fire immediately.

The fighting, described as “intolerable,” presents a significant risk of broader regional escalation, prompting the call for urgent action.

While there has been no immediate response from the Israeli or Lebanese governments or Hezbollah, U.S. officials confirmed that all parties are aware of the cease-fire call. Representatives from both Israel and Lebanon previously reiterated their support for a U.N. resolution that ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah.

The U.S. hopes the cease-fire can lead to longer-term stability along the Israel-Lebanon border, where months of conflict have displaced tens of thousands of people and raised concerns of a wider war.

U.S. officials clarified that Hezbollah would not sign the cease-fire but expected the Lebanese government to coordinate with the group on accepting it. They believe Israel may welcome the proposal and could potentially accept it formally after Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu speaks at the General Assembly.

However, Israel’s acting prime minister, Israel Katz, dismissed the idea of a cease-fire, stating that military action would continue until Israeli citizens evacuated from the north could safely return home.

The cease-fire proposal applies only to the Israel-Lebanon border, but U.S. officials are also using this opportunity to push for renewed negotiations between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, where nearly a year of war continues.

The hope is that a cease-fire with Hezbollah could lead to broader regional de-escalation. Israeli officials, while open to the possibility of a deal, have not yet confirmed any formal acceptance of the plan.

Work on the cease-fire proposal came together quickly during meetings in New York between U.S. President Biden’s national security team and global leaders.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken led diplomatic efforts, securing support from key countries, including Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has endorsed the plan, while U.S. officials remained in close contact with Israeli officials to discuss the proposal’s details.

The final agreement was crystallized during talks between President Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron. Netanyahu has indicated that Israel may pursue the deal, but only if it ensures the safe return of Israeli civilians to their homes. Blinken is scheduled to meet with Netanyahu’s strategic adviser to further discuss the proposal before the Prime Minister’s arrival in New York.

At the U.N., French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot urged both Israel and Lebanon to accept the cease-fire without delay. Lebanese Prime Minister Mikati publicly supported the proposal and called for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territories. Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon expressed hope for a cease-fire and the return of displaced civilians but stopped short of directly endorsing the 21-day cease-fire in his remarks to the Security Council.

President Biden warned of the potential for an all-out war but expressed optimism about the possibility of achieving a settlement that could transform the region.

His administration is applying additional pressure on Hezbollah and Iran by imposing new sanctions on entities linked to illicit Iranian petroleum shipments that finance Hezbollah, in an effort to curb the group’s influence and actions in the ongoing conflict.