The U.N.'s top official in Lebanon said on Wednesday that the U.S. and France's suggestion for a 21-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah "remains an option." This statement comes as work ramps up to put into action a long-ignored U.N. Security Council resolution. Resolution 1701, which the U.N. adopted in 2006, tells U.N. peacekeepers to help the Lebanese army keep a weapons-free area along its southern border with Israel. It also aims to make sure only Lebanese state forces are in this area. This has caused more friction with Iran-backed Hezbollah, which has a strong grip on southern Lebanon. The rules say no one can cross the Blue Line, which is the U.N.-set border between Lebanon and Israel, including the Israeli-held Golan Heights.

"At the end of the day, it is the lack of non-implementation of resolution 1701 over the past 18 years that led to today's harsh reality," she told reporters.

Any suggested tweaks to the current structure would need the go-ahead from the 15-member Security Council and have to get the nod from both sides involved. On Wednesday, Israel's U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon backed the key ideas in resolution 1701 saying, "We should think about how to enforce it." His words highlighted the need to take strong steps to make sure everyone sticks to what the resolution says.

The U.N.'s top official in Lebanon said on Wednesday that the U.S. and France's suggestion for a 21-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah "remains an option." This statement comes as work ramps up to put into action a long-ignored U.N. Security Council resolution. Resolution 1701, which the U.N. adopted in 2006, tells U.N. peacekeepers to help the Lebanese army keep a weapons-free area along its southern border with Israel. It also aims to make sure only Lebanese state forces are in this area. This has caused more friction with Iran-backed Hezbollah, which has a strong grip on southern Lebanon. The rules say no one can cross the Blue Line, which is the U.N.-set border between Lebanon and Israel, including the Israeli-held Golan Heights.

"At the end of the day, it is the lack of non-implementation of resolution 1701 over the past 18 years that led to today's harsh reality," she told reporters.

Any suggested tweaks to the current structure would need the go-ahead from the 15-member Security Council and have to get the nod from both sides involved. On Wednesday, Israel's U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon backed the key ideas in resolution 1701 saying, "We should think about how to enforce it." His words highlighted the need to take strong steps to make sure everyone sticks to what the resolution says.

"We have no desire to stay in Lebanon, and I think the only troops that can do that will be the Lebanese military and UNIFIL, but they need to have the strength, the power and the ability to ensure that Hezbollah is not coming back to the same places," Danon told reporters, referring to the peacekeeping mission - the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon.

France and the United States put forward a plan for a 21-day truce last month. These talks didn't go far though. Israel stepped up its attacks on the southern outskirts of Beirut. This led to the death of Hassan Nasrallah, who had been in charge of Hezbollah for a long time.

"The joint call for a 21-day ceasefire, as launched by the US or led by the US and France, I think is still on the table and very relevant, so we should not dismiss it. I don't think that new initiatives will add to it," Hennis-Plasschaert said.

"The many appeals and calls for ceasefire are crystal clear. We need a window for diplomatic efforts to succeed," she said.

"We have no desire to stay in Lebanon, and I think the only troops that can do that will be the Lebanese military and UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), but they need to have the strength, the power and the ability to ensure that Hezbollah is not coming back to the same places," Danon told reporters, referring to the peacekeeping mission - the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon.

France and the United States put forward a plan for a 21-day truce last month. These talks didn't go far though. Israel stepped up its attacks on the southern outskirts of Beirut. This led to the death of Hassan Nasrallah, who had been in charge of Hezbollah for a long time.

"The joint call for a 21-day ceasefire, as launched by the US or led by the US and France, I think is still on the table and very relevant, so we should not dismiss it. I don't think that new initiatives will add to it," Hennis-Plasschaert said.

"The many appeals and calls for ceasefire are crystal clear. We need a window for diplomatic efforts to succeed," she said.