WASHINGTON/LONDON, 26 Sept. - (ANA) - The US, United Kingdom (UK) and other allies have called for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon amid an escalation in fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

 

A 12-strong bloc, which also includes France, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, proposed a 21-day pause in fighting “to provide space for diplomacy towards the conclusion of a diplomatic settlement” and a ceasefire in Gaza.

 

The joint statement, negotiated on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, says the recent fighting is “intolerable and presents an unacceptable risk of a broader regional escalation”.

 

More than 600 people have been killed in Lebanon in recent days and Israel’s military chief told troops on Wednesday that extensive air strikes in Lebanon targeting Hezbollah could pave the way for them to “enter enemy territory”.

 

“We call for an immediate 21-day ceasefire across the Lebanon-Israel border to provide space for diplomacy,” the statement said.

 

“We call on all parties, including the governments of Israel and Lebanon, to endorse the temporary cease-fire immediately.”

 

There was no immediate reaction from the Israeli or Lebanese governments - or Hezbollah - but senior US officials said that they expect a ceasefire deal to be implemented “in the coming hours” along the Israel-Lebanon border.

 

Speaking to reporters in a late-night phone briefing, the US administration officials said behind-the-scenes diplomacy had resulted in a near agreement between the two sides.

 

One official said: “The ceasefire will be for 21 days along the blue line (demarcation line dividing Lebanon from Israel and the Golan Heights).”

 

They stressed that the ceasefire proposal was for the Israel-Lebanon border only and did not extend to Gaza where Israel’s military offensive against Hamas continues.

 

Months of Israeli and Hezbollah exchanges of fire have driven tens of thousands of people from their homes, and escalated attacks over the past week have rekindled fears of a broader war in the Middle East.

 

The US officials said Hezbollah would not be a signatory to the ceasefire but believed the Lebanese government would coordinate its acceptance with the group.

 

They said they expected Israel to “welcome” the proposal and perhaps formally accept it when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the General Assembly on Friday.

 

While the deal would apply only to the Israel-Lebanon border, the US officials said they were looking to use a three-week pause in fighting to restart stalled negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas, another Iranian-backed militant group, after nearly a year of war in Gaza.

 

The joint statement was signed by the US, UK, Australia, Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

 

Officials said the deal crystallised by late Wednesday afternoon during a conversation on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly between US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron.

 

Mr Blinken expects to meet Mr Netanyahu’s top strategic adviser in New York on Thursday ahead of the prime minister’s arrival.

 

An Israeli official said Mr Netanyahu has given the green light to pursue a possible deal, but only if it includes the return of Israeli civilians to their homes.

 

Sir Keir Starmer called on Israel and Hezbollah to agree an immediate ceasefire as he urged Britons to leave Lebanon immediately to escape the escalating violence.

 

The Prime Minister addressed the UN Security Council with a plea for an end to the violence in both Lebanon and Gaza.

 

The UK has deployed 700 troops to Cyprus to prepare for a possible evacuation of thousands of Britons.

 

Mr Biden suggested that getting Israel and Hezbollah to agree to a ceasefire could help achieve a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

 

That war is approaching the one-year mark after Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking hostages.

 

Israel responded with an offensive that has since killed more than 41,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials, who do

 

not provide a breakdown of civilians and fighters in their count.  - (ANA)

 

AB/ANA/26 September 2024 - - -