United States | News & Politics

BEIRUT, Nov 1 (Reuters) - The U.S. asked Lebanon to declare a unilateral ceasefire with Israel to revive stalled talks to end hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, a senior Lebanese political source and a senior diplomat said - a claim denied by Lebanon's prime minister.

But a unilateral declaration was seen as a non-starter in Lebanon, the sources said, where it would likely be equated with a surrender.

Hochstein told them that if Hezbollah unilaterally declared a ceasefire, he "could have something to present" to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a diplomatic initiative.