Israel rejected the possibility of a 21-day cease-fire with Hezbollah on Thursday, with many Israeli politicians condemning the overnight proposal offered by the U.S. and France following discussions at the United Nations.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office rebuffed all reports that it would accept the temporary cease-fire proposal, saying the nation’s chief leader “has not even responded to” it yet. Netanyahu’s office also denied that the Israeli military would “ease up on the fighting” along the northern border with Lebanon, where Hezbollah operates.
“The Prime Minister has directed the IDF to continue fighting with full force, according to the plan that was presented to him,” Netanyahu’s office posted on X. “The fighting in Gaza will also continue until all the objectives of the war have been achieved.”
The statement comes as Netanyahu travels to New York City, where he is expected to address the U.N. General Assembly on Friday.
Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz similarly said “there will be no cease-fire in the north” with Hezbollah militants. He noted that returning home about 60,000 displaced Israeli residents along the Israel-Lebanon border is a top priority.
David Azoulay, chair of the Metula Regional Council in northern Israel, told the Jerusalem Post that such a cease-fire would ensure “the next October 7.” Azoulay stressed that by accepting a cease-fire now, the Israeli government would be responsible for the next large-scale terror attack. He said Israel doesn’t need to stop fighting Hezbollah to provide a safer environment for northern residents.
Tensions between the Israel Defense Forces and Hezbollah have boiled over in the last week, with both sides trading rocket fire after the Iran-backed terror proxy’s pagers, walkie-talkies, and other electronic devices detonated across Lebanon. Israel is believed to have been behind the remote explosions.
Vowing to take action, Hezbollah fired numerous barrages of rockets into Israel. The Jewish state responded in kind, killing at least two top Hezbollah commanders and other senior officials in Beirut this week. Israel is mulling over a possible ground operation in Lebanon amid the escalated conflict, IDF chief of staff Herzi Halevi announced on Wednesday.
Global calls for a cease-fire deal have ramped up, as the Middle Eastern conflict could potentially break out into a wider regional war. In that case, Israel would be officially fighting on two fronts in Gaza and Lebanon.
To prevent further escalation, the U.S. and France called on Israel and Lebanon to accept an immediate cease-fire lasting 21 days to facilitate diplomatic efforts. In addition to the two Western allies, the proposal was backed by Australia, Canada, the European Union, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.