French Foreign Minister Presents Proposals to Avoid War Between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon

The French foreign minister will present proposals during his visit to Lebanon this Sunday to avoid further escalation and war between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah. The initiative aims to establish a road map acceptable to both parties to reduce tensions.

France has historic ties to Lebanon and, at the beginning of the year, Stéphane Sejourne launched a campaign proposing the removal of the elite Hezbollah unit 10 kilometers from the border with Israel. In exchange, Israel would stop attacks in southern Lebanon. This proposal arises in a context where the exchange of attacks between the parties has increased, especially after Iran launched missiles against Israel in retaliation for an alleged attack Israel in Damascus which led to the death of members of the Quds Force.

Despite discussions with friends, including the United States, the French proposal did not succeed in moving forward significantly, but France remains committed to maintaining the momentum of the negotiations. During his visit, the minister will highlight the seriousness of Israeli threats from military operations in southern Lebanon to Lebanese officials.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah has said it will not take part in tough talks until a cease-fire is established in Gaza, where the war between Israel and the Islamic terrorist group Hamas has been going on for six months already. For its part, Israel is trying to restore calm on its northern border to allow the safe return of thousands of Israelis who fled the area due to fear of rocket attacks.

Christophe Lemoine, deputy spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a press conference that “the aim is to avoid a regional conflagration and prevent the situation from worsening on the border between Israel and Lebanon.”