French President Emmanuel Macron and Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, received at the Elysee Palace on Tuesday, expressed a common desire to work together to promote a gas agreement between the Jewish state and Lebanon.
Paris has fully entered into the file of indirect negotiations, currently pending, between Lebanon and Israel on the delimitation of the maritime border, saying it is ready to promote a gas agreement between the two countries.
The announcement of a French intervention in the file hitherto managed by Washington, through its mediator Amos Hochstein, was made Tuesday by President Emmanuel Macron, on the occasion of an official visit by the Israeli Prime Minister, Yaïr Lapid, in Paris for his first international trip. On the menu of discussions, the Iranian nuclear and Lebanon, according to a statement from the Elysee.
During their meeting, Emmanuel Macron and Yaïr Lapid expressed a common desire to work together to facilitate the conclusion of a gas agreement between the Jewish state and Lebanon.
During a joint press conference, Mr. Lapid stressed the convergence of views with Mr. Macron on the need to “respond” to the threat posed, according to him, by Iran in the Middle East.
“In 2018, you were the first world leader to speak about the need for a new, more efficient agreement with Iran (..) You were right,” he said. “The current situation cannot continue. It will lead to an arms race in the Middle East that will threaten world peace.”
Israeli officials, who fear that Iran will acquire nuclear weapons – which Tehran denies – fear in particular that the lifting of sanctions will allow Tehran to replenish its coffers to increase its aid to its allies on Israel’s borders , such as Hezbollah or Hamas.
Before leaving for France, the Israeli Prime Minister had indicated that he wanted to ask Mr. Macron “to intervene” in order to save the gas talks between Lebanon and the Jewish state. “The two countries have an interest in reaching an agreement which will allow energy exploitation for the benefit of the two peoples”, replied the French president. “France is already contributing to it and is ready to contribute more,” he added without further details.
Emmanuel Macron called for “avoiding any action” that would “endanger” the ongoing process between Lebanon and the Jewish state on the thorny issue of offshore gas and the delimitation of the maritime border.
“Controlling Hezbollah”
Yaïr Lapid had discussed with him the threat represented in his eyes by Hezbollah on the conclusion of a gas agreement with Lebanon. He made particular reference to the case of the three drones launched by the pro-Iranian formation on Saturday towards the Karish gas field, located in a disputed area in the Mediterranean, the day after Mr. Lapid came to power.
“Israel will not remain in the background, placid, given the repeated attacks” of Hezbollah, for his part warned Yaïr Lapid.
“The Lebanese government must control Hezbollah or we will be forced to do so,” he told reporters before flying to Paris. “Hezbollah continues on the path of terrorism and undermines Lebanon’s ability to reach an agreement on the maritime border”, he had already commented this weekend.
Israel signed an agreement in mid-June to deliver natural gas to Egypt, which plans to liquefy it for shipment to Europe. The Old Continent is seeking to diversify its energy supplies after Russia’s decision to cut off its gas supplies to European countries.
Lapid’s visit comes ahead of U.S. President Joe Biden’s visit to Israel, the occupied West Bank and Saudi Arabia next week as part of his first Middle East tour since arriving at the White House.
