Czech Republic blocks joint EU statement urging 'immediate ceasefire' in Lebanon

The Czech Republic has blocked a joint European Union statement that called for an "immediate ceasefire" between Israel and Hezbollah and condemned the number of civilians killed in Lebanon, preventing the bloc from releasing a unified response to the latest developments in the Middle East.

The Czech Republic, together with Hungary and Austria, are considered Europe's staunchest supporters of Israel and have in recent months pushed to water down collective action that they deemed overtly critical to Israel.

"(We) could support the text with two proposals for modifications that were put forward, but other member states could not take them on board," a Czech spokesperson said.

"Firstly, we advocated to add into the text the necessity of Hezbollah to withdraw from the Israeli border. Secondly, the text was too restrictive when it comes to the right of Israel to defend itself."

The lack of unanimity forced the EU's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, to release a statement on his own, as he has done in previous cases of internal discord.

"We deplore the many civilian casualties in Lebanon, the destruction of civilian infrastructure with related long-term implications, and the high number of internally displaced persons on both sides, and once again urge the respect of International Humanitarian Law in all circumstances," Borrell said on Tuesday afternoon.

"Arms should now be silenced and the voice of diplomacy should speak and be heard by all," he added.

Borrell had alluded to the common statement after holding an extraordinary meeting of foreign affairs ministers on Monday evening, which took place mere hours before the Israel Defense Forces moved to invade parts of southern Lebanon.

It marks Israel's first territorial campaign into Lebanon since the 2006 war.

The invasion, launched in response to Hezbollah's cross-border heavy fire in solidarity with Hamas, further escalates the military scope of the Middle East crisis and brings the region closer to the wide, all-out war that Western allies have long feared.

But despite shared anxiety of a spiraling conflict, the behind-the-scenes struggle in Brussels to publish the joint statement lays bare the enduring disagreements between member states when it comes to addressing Israel, which has played out in both private and public since the 7 October attack by Hamas.

The text was released almost 24 hours after the meeting of foreign affairs ministers.

In it, Borrell appeals for an 'immediate ceasefire" between the warring parties and urges the "full and symmetrical implementation" of a UN Security Council resolution approved in 2006 that called for the end of hostilities, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon and the disarmament of Hezbollah.

"The sovereignty of both Israel and Lebanon has to be guaranteed.** Any further military intervention would dramatically aggravate the situation," the High Representative writes.

Minutes after the blockage was confirmed, the Israeli army announced that Iran had launched a missile attack on the country.

The article has been updated with the Czech reaction.