UK Starmer calls for ceasefire in Lebanon, fails to mention aggressors

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
27 Sep 2024 17:49
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Kier Starmer offers his condolences to the Lebanese PM for the deaths of Lebanese civilians, failing to mention the Israeli strikes that were behind the carnages.

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Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, right, holds a bilateral meeting with Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati, left, on the sidelines of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations headquarters in New York City on September 26, 2024. (AFP)

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with his Lebanese counterpart Najib Mikati on the sidelines of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

According to the British Prime Minister's Office, Starmer called for an immediate ceasefire between Hezbollah and "Israel". He also offered his "sincere condolences" to Mikati for the "loss of civilian life in recent weeks."

"They discussed the escalating conflict in Lebanon, and agreed on the importance of an immediate ceasefire and a negotiated solution," the office stated.

However, Starmer did not condemn the Israeli aggression on Lebanon that killed 700 civilians in the past few days.

'Israel' unserious about Lebanon ceasefire

During the processions of the UNGA's 79th session, talks about a 21-day ceasefire began to emerge from New York, in what seems to be a United States-led initiative. Soon after preliminary reports emerged about the deal, it became apparent that the talks would be appropriated for Israeli political maneuvers, just as has been done in the Gaza Strip.

In a statement on Thursday night, the Israeli Prime Minister's office said that "Israel shares the aims" of the US-led initiative for a 21-day ceasefire in Lebanon.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s earlier denial of having a private agreement with the US on the ceasefire proposal sparked tensions with the White House, according to Axios. On that note, the statement was released exclusively in English on the Israeli Prime Minister's Office Facebook page, suggesting yet another instance of double-talk by Netanyahu.

White House 'does not know' Netanyahu's motives

It was another example of Netanyahu's back-and-forth in the past 24 hours regarding the Lebanon ceasefire proposal announced on Wednesday, as he distanced himself from the initiative on Thursday morning, bowing to political pressure from his ultranationalist coalition partners despite his involvement in the negotiations.

During a call with reporters, White House spokesperson John Kirby emphasized that the Biden administration wouldn't have put forward the 21-day ceasefire proposal if they hadn't believed the Israeli government was in agreement. This underscores the mounting tensions between the two allies over the evolving situation.

"I don't know why Netanyahu said what he said and I don't know what his considerations were — whether they were political or operational. Ask him why he said that," Kirby said.