LAST UPDATE | 21 hrs ago
THE US, FRANCE and other allies have jointly called for an immediate 21-day ceasefire to allow for negotiations in the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah that has killed more than 600 people in Lebanon in recent days.
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”.
“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.”
However, Israel’s foreign minister has said it won’t support a ceasefire “until victory”.
“There will be no ceasefire in the north. We will continue to fight against the Hezbollah terrorist organisation with all our strength until victory and the safe return of the residents …