LEBANON – The United States, France and several Arab and European countries have called for an immediate 21-day ceasefire across the Israel-Lebanon border following intense discussions at the United Nations. The pause in hostilities would apply to the Blue Line, the demarcation line between Lebanon and Israel, and would allow the warring parties to negotiate towards a potential diplomatic resolution of the conflict, according to Al Jazeera’s Rosiland Jordan, reporting from Washington, DC, quoting US officials who briefed reporters late on Wednesday.

“We call on all parties, including the governments of Israel and Lebanon, to endorse the temporary ceasefire immediately,” read a joint statement by the countries, which was released on Thursday by the White House. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting that “hell is breaking loose” in Lebanon, adding that an all-out war must be avoided “at all costs There was no immediate reaction from the Israeli or Lebanese governments or Hezbollah  but senior US officials quoted by The Associated Press news agency said all parties were aware of the call for a ceasefire.

The warring parties are expected to decide “within hours” whether to accept it, the AFP news agency reported. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, heading to New York to address the UN, said he had not yet given his response to the ceasefire proposal and had instructed the army to fight on.   (Al Jazeera)…[+]