“The restoration of Lebanon’s sovereignty requires the immediate election of a President of the Republic,” he also declared in a video message on X.
MM. Biden and Macron also indicated in a joint statement that Washington and Paris would ensure that the agreement was “implemented in its entirety”, saying they were “determined to ensure that this conflict does not provoke a new cycle of violence”.
This agreement “will protect Israel from the threat posed by Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations operating from Lebanon.” It “will create the necessary conditions for the lasting restoration of calm and allow the safe return to their homes of residents on both sides of the Blue Line”, the demarcation line set by the UN between Lebanon and Israel, they said. affirmed.
Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that the duration of the ceasefire would depend “on what happens in Lebanon.” “We maintain complete freedom of military action” in Lebanon, he added: “If Hezbollah violates the agreement and tries to rearm, we will attack.”
A truce in Lebanon will allow Israel, according to him, to “focus on the Iranian threat”, and to “intensify” its pressure on Palestinian Hamas, against which it is leading a deadly offensive in the Gaza Strip in retaliation for its unprecedented attack on Israeli soil on October 7, 2023.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said: “The decision of the Israeli security cabinet to approve the truce is both correct and important, but it must be clear that the State of Israel will defend its citizens at all times. , in every place and in every way.
“We must seize this opportunity and make every effort to fulfill our highest moral duty and bring home our brothers and sisters held hostage in Gaza. We must act on this issue with the utmost urgency!”
Lebanon
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said the agreement constituted a “fundamental step” towards regional stability.
Thanking Paris and Washington for their involvement, Mr. Mikati indicated that his government was committed to “strengthening the presence of the army in the south of the country”, a stronghold of the Islamist movement Hezbollah.
Iran
Tehran on Wednesday welcomed the “stopping of Israeli aggression” in Lebanon, where Iran supports Hezbollah financially and militarily.
Iran “firmly supports the government, the nation and the Lebanese resistance,” Iranian diplomatic spokesperson Esmaïl Baghaï said in a statement.
Germany
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock welcomed the agreement, seeing it as “a ray of hope for the entire region.”
“The populations on both sides of the border want to live in real security that lasts,” commented Ms. Baerbock in a press release, saying that the agreement was “a success for diplomacy.”
United Kingdom
The ceasefire “will bring some relief to the civilian populations of Lebanon and northern Israel, who have suffered unimaginable consequences in the final months of a devastating conflict,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said , believing however that he had “long overdue”.
The ceasefire “must now be transformed into a lasting political solution in Lebanon”, he added.
Tensions in the Middle East: Israeli security cabinet agrees to ceasefire in Lebanon, it will come into effect Wednesday morning
European Union
The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen welcomed “very encouraging news, above all for the Lebanese and Israeli people affected by the fighting”.
“Lebanon will have the opportunity to strengthen its internal security and stability thanks to the reduced influence of Hezbollah,” according to her.
Belgium
The head of Belgian diplomacy Hadja Lahbib (MR) welcomed the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon on Tuesday evening, judging that it constitutes “a crucial step to curb escalation in the Middle East”.
The Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs reiterated in a message posted on the social network X her call for “a ceasefire in the region, including in Gaza”. “Only the resumption of negotiations for a two-state solution can bring peace,” said Ms. Lahbib, who should soon be confirmed for the post of European Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management. “Civilians must be protected,” she further urged in her reaction to this truce agreement in Lebanon, where Israel is fighting the Islamist movement Hezbollah, supported by Iran.
Suisse
“It is time for the suffering of civilians to end,” commented the Swiss Foreign Ministry on X, welcoming the announcement of the ceasefire.
Switzerland “urges all parties to respect international law and prioritize diplomacy for de-escalation throughout the region. A ceasefire in Gaza, the immediate and unconditional release of hostages and an increase in humanitarian aid are so urgent.
The Netherlands
“It’s a good thing” that an agreement has been reached, responded Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof. “It is important that all parties commit to this now, so that the situation can de-escalate and citizens on both sides of the border can return home safely,” he added.
“A ceasefire is and will continue to be desperately needed in Gaza as well, to allow for the release of all hostages, better access to humanitarian aid and a de-escalation of violence in the region,” he said. written on X.
HIM
The ceasefire announced Tuesday between Israel and Lebanon will require “considerable work” to ensure its sustainability, said the UN representative for Lebanon, in a press release welcoming the agreement.
“This crucial agreement marks the starting point of a critical process” to ensure the security of civilians on both sides of the Blue Line, said Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert.
