Netanyahu refuses ceasefire vote until Hezbollah accepts terms

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said his government will not hold a vote on a US-mediated ceasefire proposal with Lebanon until Hezbollah agrees to its terms, according to Israeli media reports.

Netanyahu made the remarks during a cabinet meeting a day earlier, where he indicated that the current version of the draft agreement would not be submitted for approval as the Lebanese armed group has yet to accept the proposed conditions.

The proposed truce was discussed in Washington during contacts involving Israeli and Lebanese delegations. However, several Israeli ministers reportedly criticised the terms under consideration and urged that the document be brought before the cabinet for approval prior to any final agreement.

Netanyahu rejected those calls, arguing that no formal deal currently exists. “At present, there is no actual agreement,” he said, according to the report.

The stance comes amid ongoing hostilities along the Israel-Lebanon border. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem earlier signalled opposition to the ceasefire initiative, stating that the group would continue strikes on northern Israel as long as Israeli attacks on Lebanese territory continue.

By Tamilla Hasanova