Netanyahu Rejects Ceasefire Proposal Amid Rising Right-Wing Voices

Netanyahu Rejects Ceasefire Proposal Amid Rising Right-Wing Voices
September 26, 2024, 1:17 pm

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Thursday that he has not yet responded to the ceasefire proposal with the Lebanese group Hezbollah. This comes at a time when his government coalition is experiencing a rise in right-wing voices opposing this proposal.

In a statement, Netanyahu indicated that he has instructed the military to continue fighting with full force, asserting that "reports regarding a ceasefire are not true." He added, "The news about an alleged directive to de-escalate fighting in the north is also a distortion of facts. The fighting in Gaza will continue until all war objectives are achieved."

In the same context, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz confirmed that "there will be no ceasefire in the north, and we will continue to fight against Hezbollah."

Meanwhile, far-right Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich described the war in the north as one that will not end until Hezbollah and its capabilities to threaten northern residents are destroyed. He stated, "The enemy must not be given time to recover from the strikes it has received or prepare to resume war after 21 days. The choice is either Hezbollah's surrender or war, and only in this way can we restore security for the residents of the north and the state."

In a related vein, Minister of Settlements and National Missions, Orit Strock, emphasized that "there is no moral mandate for a ceasefire, whether for 21 days or even 21 hours." She argued that "Hezbollah has turned Lebanon into a powder keg, and Resolution 1701 has made the residents of the north hostages in their land. Past mistakes should not be repeated, and we will not stop until the situation is rectified."

Additionally, the party "Otzma Yehudit," led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, announced that following reports concerning negotiations for a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, their party will hold an emergency meeting in the coming hours.

Culture and Sports Minister from the Likud party, Miki Zohar, considered that "a ceasefire without any meaningful concessions from Hezbollah would be a grave mistake that endangers the major military achievements Israel has made." He expressed hope that the reports regarding this matter are untrue and insisted on the necessity of continuing vigorously until a clear resolution is achieved in the north.

On the other hand, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid revealed his support for the idea of a ceasefire but stated that it should not exceed seven days. He emphasized that Hezbollah should not be allowed to restore its command and control systems.

The United States, the European Union, and several Western and Arab countries issued a joint statement on Wednesday calling for a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, in an attempt to avoid the escalation of the conflict into a comprehensive war.

The statement read, "Diplomacy cannot succeed in the context of an escalating conflict, so we call for an immediate ceasefire for 21 days across the Lebanese-Israeli border, to allow space for diplomatic efforts to reach a settlement." The statement also urged "all parties, including the governments of Israel and Lebanon, to immediately support the temporary ceasefire, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2735 regarding the ceasefire in Gaza."

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