Countries around the world, including leading Arab nations, those in the G7 and the European Union, want a halt to hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah along Israel's northern border with Lebanon, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday.
Asked about Israel's rejection of a U.S.-backed Lebanon ceasefire proposal, Blinken told MSNBC: "The world is speaking clearly for virtually all of the key countries in Europe and in the region on the need for the ceasefire."
He added that he would be meeting with Israeli officials in New York later on Thursday.
The objective is to compel Hezbollah to comply with UN Resolution 1701 by withdrawing 30 km from the border with Israel. A resolution that the Shiite movement has never respected for nearly 20 years.
Reporting by Susan Heavey