Ambassador: Israel has no intention of negotiating ceasefire with Hezbollah

Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter says he told his Lebanese counterpart during their first-ever phone call earlier today that Israel is not prepared to cease fighting against Hezbollah, even as it negotiates with Lebanon, Report informs via The Times of Israel.

"In the conversation earlier today in Washington between the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to Washington, together with US ambassador to Lebanon, and under the auspices of the US State Department, Israel agreed to begin formal peace negotiations this coming Tuesday," Leiter said in a statement.

"Israel refused to discuss a ceasefire with the Hezbollah terrorist organization, which continues to attack Israel and is the main obstacle to peace between the two countries," he added.

The US is reportedly urging Israel to halt the fighting against Hezbollah before the first-ever public meeting between envoys from Jerusalem and Beirut on Tuesday. Lebanon has argued that a ceasefire should be a precondition of the meeting.