By Michelle Nichols and Humeyra Pamuk
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Israel is open to ideas to de-escalate the conflict in Lebanon, Israel's U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon said on Tuesday, a day after the United States said it was exploring a number of “concrete ideas” with allies and partners.
“Right now there are major forces trying to come up with ideas and we are open to that,” he told reporters. “We are not eager to start a ground invasion somewhere … We prefer a diplomatic solution.”
Heavy fighting this week between Israel and Lebanon’s Iranian-backed Hezbollah has raised fears that the nearly year-old conflict could explode and destabilize the Middle East. A war between Hamas and Israel is already raging in Gaza.
Israel has said it is shifting its focus from Gaza to its northern border, where Hezbollah fires rockets into Israel in support of Hamas, which is also backed by Iran.
The Israeli government has made securing its northern border a priority and has allowed the return of some 70,000 residents displaced by the conflict. However, Hezbollah has vowed not to give up until a ceasefire is reached in Gaza.
On Monday, a senior State Department official said the U.S. is in talks with allies and partners on “concrete ideas” to find a way out that prevents further escalation of the fighting and reduces tensions.
Danon said Israel took the ideas seriously.
“We still think it is not too late for the Lebanese government, for the Lebanese people, to put pressure on Hezbollah to stop their aggression. If they don't fire rockets at Israel, then we can bring our people back, back to their communities, that's all,” he said.
When asked by reporters what they were actively discussing at the moment, Danon replied: “I can't comment on that.”
(Reporting by Michelle Nichols and Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by Howard Goller)
