'Escalation serves no one': PM calls for ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in UN General Assembly address

By Emma Soteriou

Keir Starmer has called on Israel and Hezbollah to agree on a ceasefire in his UN General Assembly address.

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Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Sir Keir said "escalation serves no one" as he urged both sides to "step back from the brink".

He said the UN needs to "work together for peace, progress and equality".

"I call on Israel and Hezbollah: Stop the violence, step back from the brink," the PM said.

"We need to see an immediate ceasefire to provide space for a diplomatic settlement, and we are working with all partners to that end.

"Because further escalation serves no one."

It comes after Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu ruled out a ceasefire proposal with Hezbollah on Wednesday evening.

Read more: Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu rules out UK and US ceasefire proposal with Lebanon

Read more: Starmer tells UN Middle East is ‘on the brink' as Israel 'prepares for entry into Lebanon'

The US, UK and their allies called for an immediate 21-day ceasefire in a joint statement.

It said the recent fighting is "intolerable and presents an unacceptable risk of a broader regional escalation".

"We call for an immediate 21-day ceasefire across the Lebanon-Israel border to provide space for diplomacy," the statement said.

"We call on all parties, including the governments of Israel and Lebanon, to endorse the temporary cease-fire immediately."

But Mr Netanyahu shut down the proposal, saying his forces will keep fighting at "full force".

His office said: "The news about a ceasefire - not true. This is an American-French proposal, to which the prime minister did not even respond.

"The news about the supposed directive to moderate the fighting in the north is also the opposite of the truth.

"The prime minister instructed the IDF to continue the fighting with full force, and according to the plans presented to him.

"Also, the fighting in Gaza will continue until all the goals of the war are achieved."

In his speech on Thursday, Sir Keir also addressed the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

"We must put new energy and creativity into conflict resolution and conflict prevention, reverse the trend towards ever-greater violence, make the institutions of peace fit for purpose, and hold members to their commitments under the UN Charter," he said.

He went on to announce action being taken to tackle climate change as well.

Billions from pension and insurance funds will be put into "fighting climate change" and "boosting development", Sir Keir said.

The PM is set to meet with Donald Trump during his trip - ahead of November's US election.

He said he wanted to meet him face-to-face because "I'm a great believer in personal relationships on the world stage".

"I've said a number of times, I want to meet both candidates" the PM said.

"We've now got the opportunity to meet Trump, which is good.

"Obviously, I still want to speak to Harris as well.

"But you know, the usual diary challenges, but it's good that this one now has been fixed.

"It'll be really good to establish a relationship between the two of us.

"I'm a great believer in personal relations on the international stage.

"I think it really matters that you know who your counterpart is in any given country, and know them personally, get to know them face-to-face."

Speaking at a press conference before they met, Mr Trump said he thought Sir Keir was "very nice".

He added: "He ran a great race, he did very well, it's very early, he's very popular."