The National Times - Israel pours cold water on US-backed call for ceasefire with Hezbollah

The United States and allies issued a joint call for a 21-day halt in fighting in Lebanon, where Hezbollah is based, after Israeli air strikes targeting the Iran-backed group killed hundreds and displaced tens of thousands this week.

The appeal for the three-week ceasefire came hours after Israel's military chief, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, told soldiers Wednesday to prepare for a possible ground offensive against Hezbollah.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his government had not even responded to the proposal and instead ordered the military to "continue fighting with full force" against Hezbollah.

The White House insisted that the ceasefire offer had been "coordinated" with Israel before it was announced.

"The statement was indeed coordinated with the Israeli side," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters.

"We felt comfortable in releasing that statement last night."

Israel's left-leaning Haaretz newspaper, citing diplomatic sources, said Netanyahu and his close associate, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, were regularly updated on Tuesday and Wednesday about the proposal and the two had given it their "blessing".

But while on his way to New York on Thursday to attend the UN General Assembly, Netanyahu reversed his position in response to sharp criticism from some of his cabinet ministers, the newspaper said.

- Stiff opposition -

Three top ministers in Israel's ruling coalition openly declared their opposition to the proposal on Thursday.

Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich insisted that continuing the war against Hezbollah was the only way forward.

"The campaign in the north should end with a single result: crushing Hezbollah and elimination of its ability to harm the residents of the north," Smotrich said on social media platform X.

"The enemy must not be given time to recover from the heavy blows it has suffered and reorganise itself to continue the war after 21 days," he said.

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir threatened to boycott cabinet activities if the government agreed to a temporary ceasefire and to resign altogether if a ceasefire became permanent.

"The most basic and obvious thing is that when your enemy is on its knees, you don't allow them to recover, but rather you act to defeat and overthrow them," Ben Gvir said, according to a party statement.

"If you don't do that, you project weakness, endanger the security of your citizens, and prove that you have no intention of winning."

Ben Gvir and Smotrich have also been strong advocates of continuing the war in Gaza, where Israeli forces have been battling Palestinian militants since October 7.

Netanyahu's coalition relies on their support.

- 'Continue to fight' -

In a separate statement on X, Foreign Minister Israel Katz also opposed any halt to the campaign against Hezbollah.

"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 of the north to their homes," Katz said.

He was referring to the tens of thousands who have been displaced by nearly a year of cross-border exchanges which escalated dramatically this week.

Israel's main opposition leader Yair Lapid said the government should agree to a ceasefire, but only for seven days.

This would "prevent Hezbollah from restoring its command and control systems," Lapid said on X.

"We will not accept any proposal that does not include the withdrawal of Hezbollah from our northern border."

The Gaza war erupted when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, and Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel from Lebanon a day later in what it said was a show of solidarity with its Palestinian ally.

Since then Israel and Hezbollah have been engaged in fierce cross-border exchanges, which worsened this week when Israel launched a withering bombing campaign against Hezbollah targets in the deadliest violence since Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war.

burs-jd-rcb/kir

A.Davey--TNT