Israel open to ideas to de-escalate in Lebanon, says Israel's UN envoy

By Michelle Nichols and Humeyra Pamuk

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Israel is open to ideas for de-escalating the conflict in Lebanon, Israel's U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon said on Tuesday, a day after the United States said it was exploring some "concrete ideas" with allies and partners.

"As we speak there are important forces trying to come up with ideas and we are open-minded for that," he told reporters. "We are not eager to start any ground invasion anywhere ... We prefer a diplomatic solution."

Fierce fighting this week between Israel and the Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah has increased fears that nearly a year of conflict will explode and destabilize the Middle East, where a war between Hamas and Israel is already raging in Gaza.

Israel has said it is shifting its focus from Gaza to the northern frontier, where Hezbollah has been firing rockets into Israel in support of Hamas, which is also backed by Iran.

The Israeli government has made a war priority of securing its northern border and allowing the return there of some 70,000 residents displaced by the conflict, while Hezbollah has vowed not to back down until a ceasefire is reached in Gaza.

On Monday, a senior State Department official said the U.S. was discussing with allies and partners some "concrete ideas" to find an off ramp that will prevent further escalation in the fighting and reduce tensions.

Danon said Israel was taking the ideas seriously.

"We still think it’s not too late for the Lebanese government, for the Lebanese people, to put pressure on Hezbollah to stop their aggression. If they will not fire rockets into Israel, then we will be able to bring back our residents, back to their communities, that’s it," he said.

Asked by reporters what they were actively discussing at present, Danon said: “I cannot get into that.”

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols and Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by Howard Goller)