After days of intense talks, the United States and its allies had drafted a proposal for a ceasefire along the Israel-Lebanon border. Senior US officials were confident that both Israel and Hezbollah would accept the 21-day pause in fighting to prevent a full-fledged war. The text of the ceasefire proposal was familiar to both sides, leading to public announcements of the framework with the expectation that Israel and Hezbollah would sign on.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quickly rejected the ceasefire proposal, stating that reports of an imminent ceasefire were false and that Israel would continue to fight Hezbollah with full force until all goals were achieved. This unexpected response raised questions about why Israel’s leader was dismissing a proposal that the US believed they were on board with. Speculation arose that domestic politics could be influencing Netanyahu’s decision, with right-wing ministers expressing indignation at the idea of a US-backed ceasefire.
Despite the initial optimism from US officials about the ceasefire proposal, Israel’s lack of acceptance created confusion and frustration. It was believed that strong private indications had suggested Israel was prepared to agree to the terms, making Netanyahu’s rejection surprising. Discussions and negotiations were expected to be prolonged, with pressure on Israel and Hezbollah to publicly accept the ceasefire to move forward. The US had been confident in releasing the proposal based on their communications with Dermer, one of Netanyahu’s confidants.
French President Emmanuel Macron criticized Netanyahu’s rejection of the ceasefire proposal, calling it a mistake and urging the US to increase pressure on Israel to accept the terms. Netanyahu’s reversal was seen as a major disappointment and highlighted his willingness to publicly disagree with Biden, especially when facing internal political opposition in Israel. The reaction from right-wing Israeli ministers further emphasized Netanyahu’s challenges in maintaining his governing coalition.
White House officials faced a barrage of questions about the apparent disconnect between the US and Israel following Netanyahu’s rejection of the ceasefire proposal. Despite claims that the plan had been coordinated with Israel, officials struggled to explain why Netanyahu and his government were not interested in agreeing to the temporary ceasefire. Discussions were ongoing with hope of news coming within hours, as Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli officials. Dermer and the Israeli Ambassador remained noncommittal about accepting the ceasefire proposal, suggesting that their day of meetings in New York was just beginning.
