18 European nations call for Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire — urge Israel to respect Lebanon sovereignty

Eighteen European countries issued a joint foreign ministers' statement on April 2 (D34), marking one month since the Israel-Lebanon hostilities escalated. Key demands: 'Israeli military operations in Lebanon and Hezbollah's attacks must cease.' 'We urge Israel to fully respect Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and call on all parties, both Hezbollah and Israel, to halt military action.' Confirmed signatories include: Italy, Spain, Belgium, Poland, Ireland (and 13 others not individually named in reporting). Context: The statement comes as Israel announced plans to expand a buffer zone to the Litani River (~10% of Lebanon) and as Hezbollah fired ~130 rockets into Israel in the past 24 hours. Lebanon PM Salam called his country a 'victim of a war of others' earlier on D34. The 18-nation statement represents a distinct European diplomatic pressure track on the Lebanon conflict — separate from the Hormuz diplomatic track. Source: Times of Israel April 2 live blog (18-nation joint statement, 15:45 UTC).