Netanyahu trashes US and French plan for Israel-Hezbollah cease-fire

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected Thursday a proposal by the United States and France for a three-week cease-fire with Hezbollah, vowing to keep fighting “with full force.”

“The news about a cease-fire — not true,” Netanyahu wrote on social media. “This is an American-French proposal, to which the prime minister did not even respond.”

The White House announced Wednesday evening a proposal for a temporary 21-day halt to hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, an Iran-backed political movement and militant group based in Lebanon.

The plan was drawn up this week by the U.S. and France during the United Nations General Assembly in New York and gained backing from allies and others in the region, including Australia, Canada, Germany, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Netanyahu added that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would “continue the fighting with full force” in the north of the country, which borders Lebanon, and in Gaza “until all the goals of the war are achieved.”

Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, who have exchanged rocket fire almost daily since Hamas’ Oct. 7 violent attack against Israel, reached boiling point last week after communications devices belonging to Hezbollah members were remotely detonated, killing dozens and injuring thousands. Hezbollah blamed the attack on Israel; Israel has declined to take responsibility.

Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon have since killed hundreds of people, injured thousands more and displaced about half a million Lebanese.