Israel reportedly rejects ceasefire proposal
Israel on Monday reportedly announced its rejection of a ceasefire proposal with Hezbollah, which had been presented by mediators during the previous period.
Al-Hurra's correspondent in Tel Aviv said that Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz held talks in the past few days, after the assassination of Hezbollah Secretary-Genera Sayyedl Hassan Nasrallah, with a number of foreign ministers, including those involved in the ceasefire plan between Israel and Hezbollah.
Katz confirmed that Israel will not agree to a ceasefire in Lebanon, according to the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation.
It said that the Israeli Foreign Minister conveyed this message to more than 25 foreign ministers, including the foreign ministers of Germany, Britain, Italy and Canada.
He explained, saying: "The only way Israel will accept a ceasefire is to remove Hezbollah to the north of the Litani River and disarm it."
Katz added to the ministers: "Only the full implementation of all U.N. Security Council resolutions related to Lebanon will lead to a ceasefire. Unless this happens, Israel will continue its operations to ensure the security of its citizens and the return of the residents of the north to their homes."
The Israeli foreign minister said that the assassination of Nasrallah was one of the most justified operations that Israel has ever carried out.
He pointed out that Nasrallah was planning to launch additional attacks against Israel. Katz also conveyed a clear message regarding Iran, saying: “If Iran attacks Israel, Israel will attack it in response.”
On the other hand, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, expressed his regret last Friday that there is no force capable of “stopping” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the war in Gaza and Lebanon.
“What we are doing is exerting all diplomatic pressure to stop the fire, but no one seems to have the ability to stop Netanyahu, neither in Gaza nor in the West Bank,” Borrell told a small group of journalists while attending the U.N. General Assembly.
Borrell supported the French and U.S. initiative for a 21-day ceasefire in Lebanon, which Israel ignored as it intensified its strikes in Lebanon.
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