Israeli politicians criticize Lebanon ceasefire proposal

Right-wing Israeli ministers on Thursday (26) expressed outrage at reports that the United States is pushing for a weeks-long ceasefire in Lebanon and at the silence of their own prime minister.

On Wednesday (25), there was the most explicit threat of a ground attack in Lebanon. The Chief of the General Staff of the Israeli armed forces, Herzi Halevi, told troops in the north that the airstrikes in Lebanon were intended to “prepare the ground for their possible entry and to continue to degrade Hezbollah”.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not commented on reports of a ceasefire released by CNN and others.

But notably, he did not deny them on the way to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where a confluence of world leaders could provide a forum for negotiations.

See how some of the ministers responded:

Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said: “The enemy must not be given time to recover from the heavy blows it has received and to reorganize for the continuation of the war after 21 days.”

The Jewish Power party of far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said it would be appropriate to hold an “urgent meeting” today — an implicit threat to Netanyahu’s fragile governing coalition.

Minister Orit Strook warned that “there is no moral mandate for a ceasefire. Not for 21 days. And not for 21 hours.”

Even opposition chief Yair Lapid said that while a shorter ceasefire might make sense, “we will not accept any proposal that does not include the removal of Hezbollah from our northern border.”

Culture Minister Miki Zohar, from Netanyahu’s Likud party, said a ceasefire could be a “grave mistake.”

This content was originally published in Israeli politicians criticize ceasefire proposal in Lebanon on the CNN Brasil website.

Source: CNN Brasil

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