The White House eventually released a statement following the meeting, which called for ceasefires in Lebanon and Gaza. However, the latest statement pushed by the US was more forgiving to Israel
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After an intense debate, the United States and France, along with some other European allies agreed to call for a 21-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting on Wednesday. The plan came as the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, warned that “hell is breaking loose” in the country, and the UK foreign secretary called for an immediate ceasefire, a joint statement on which the US has not endorsed.
The White House eventually released a statement following the meeting, which called for ceasefires in Lebanon and Gaza. However, the latest statement pushed by the US was more forgiving to Israel.
“The situation between Lebanon and Israel since October 8th, 2023, is intolerable and presents an unacceptable risk of a broader regional escalation,” the joint statement reads, citing the date Hezbollah began launching attacks on northern Israeli communities and military posts following its ally Hamas’s October 7 massacres in southern Israel.
“This is in nobody’s interest, neither of the people of Israel nor of the people of Lebanon. It is time to conclude a diplomatic settlement that enables civilians on both sides of the border to return to their homes in safety,” the statement further reads.
Diplomacy over conflict
In the statement, the US and its Western allies emphasised that diplomacy “cannot succeed amid an escalation of this conflict,” before urging “an immediate 21-day ceasefire across the Lebanon-Israel border to provide space for diplomacy towards the conclusion of a diplomatic settlement.”
“We are then prepared to fully support all diplomatic efforts to conclude an agreement between Lebanon and Israel within this period, building on efforts over the last months, that end this crisis altogether,” concluded the statement.
Apart from the US, Australia, Canada, the European Union, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar were the signatories of the joint statement.
Meanwhile, the White House released a separate Joint Statement from US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron, who met on the sidelines of the UN meeting. The statement called for “the immediate support of the governments of Israel and Lebanon.”
It is time for a settlement on the Israel-Lebanon border that ensures safety and security to enable civilians to return to their homes. The exchange of fire since October 7th, and in particular over the past two weeks, threatens a much broader conflict, and harm to civilians,” the two presidents averred. “We therefore have worked together in recent days on a joint call for a temporary ceasefire to give diplomacy a chance to succeed and avoid further escalations across the border,” the statement further reads.
No explicit mention of Hezbollah: The cracks in the West
It is interesting to note that neither of the joint statements made an explicit mention of Hamas and Hezbollah. Earlier today, reports emerged that the US thwarted the initial efforts of France and the UK, urging the UN to call for an immediate ceasefire.
During the UNSC meeting, Washington actively avoided the suggestion that there was any equivalence of blame for the eruption of the crisis between the two nations. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken continued to maintain that Israel has a “legitimate problem” to solve and blamed Hezbollah for continued rocket attacks into Israeli territory.
Hence, the whole ordeal reflected the tensions between the US and its European allies over how they are approaching the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told UNSC that the US and UK’s “unwavering support for Israel has given them carte blanche for all sorts of sinister behaviour”.
“Without a ceasefire in Gaza there will be no guarantee for peace in the region,” he added. “The international community cannot afford to remain silent … the UN security council … must shoulder its responsibility and respond decisively.”
With inputs from agencies.
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Publish date : 2024-09-25 19:44:00
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