The EU leadership admitted that their call for a ceasefire to Israel was not taken into account.

Since October 7, Israel has killed 41,534 innocent civilians in Gaza and has been heavily targeting Lebanon for the past two weeks. In attacks it claims are against Hezbollah, 540 people have lost their lives so far. France, which has historically shown close interest in Lebanon, has made a joint call for a 21-day ceasefire, led by the United States.

IS THE CEASEFIRE CALL JUST FOR SHOW?

This joint statement was also supported by the EU, Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. The joint statement said, "The situation that has been ongoing between Lebanon and Israel since October 8, 2023, is intolerable and unacceptable, posing a risk of greater regional tensions. This situation is not in anyone's interest, neither that of Israel nor that of the Lebanese people."

French President Emmanuel Macron also made an open-ended call for a ceasefire without uttering a word about Israel's massacres in Gaza and Lebanon, stating, "France opposes Lebanon becoming a new Gaza."

THE CALL FAILED, THE SITUATION IS A DISASTER

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the joint call for a temporary ceasefire in Lebanon. Mikati stated that the most important thing is for Israel to adhere to international decisions. Israel rejected the 21-day temporary ceasefire proposal put forward by the US and France. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the Israeli army to continue its attacks on Lebanon with full force in the north.

Immediately afterward, Josep Borrell, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, expressed his sadness that no power, including the US, could "stop" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

A NEW CRISIS BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE EU?

However, these mild words from Borrell, which could not even be considered criticism, were not well received by the Israeli government. Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz accused Borrell of being antisemitic. Borrell had also canceled his visit to Israel on September 13, citing that he was "not welcome." He criticized the United Nations for not implementing Resolution 1701, adopted by the UN Security Council regarding the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war, despite nearly 20 years having passed since it was taken to establish a ceasefire in Lebanon.

200,000 PEOPLE DISPLACED

Although Israel has intensified its attacks on Lebanon over the past three weeks, they have been ongoing since October 8, 2023. As casualties continue to rise in the ongoing conflicts, more than 200,000 people living along the Israeli border in the south have been forced to leave their homes. The failure of ceasefire calls, Israel's new tank deployments towards the Lebanese border, and the rhetoric of a larger war in the international community are increasing anxiety among the local population. People are forced to flee their homes for the capital, Beirut, ahead of a potential large-scale war.