'Israel' seeks capacity to hit, enter Lebanon post-ceasefire: France
3 Min Read
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot argues that such a position "is not compatible" with the sovereignty of Lebanon.
-
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot listens to a question during a press conference at the Pine Palace, which is the residence of the French ambassador, in Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, September 30, 2024 (AP)
Israeli officials are adamant about retaining the ability to strike Lebanon at any time as part of the conditions for a potential ceasefire with Hezbollah, revealed French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Wednesday, Reuters reported.
During a parliamentary hearing, following discussions held in occupied al-Quds with Israeli officials last week, Barrot noted that this stance is becoming increasingly prominent in Israeli discourse.
"Today we hear in Israel voices calling for it to keep a capacity to strike at any moment or even enter Lebanon, as is the case with its neighbor Syria," indicated Barrot, who held last weeks talks with Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer and new Security Minister Israel Katz.
The top French diplomat argued that such a position "is not compatible with the sovereignty of a strong country," pointing to broader international efforts to strengthen governance in Lebanon.
Diplomats commented that any proposal including such an Israeli demand would likely be unacceptable to Lebanon.
Raed Berro, Member of the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc in the Lebanese Parliament, told Al Mayadeen on Thursday that a demand allowing "Israel" to carry out military interventions in Lebanon is unacceptable and is simply another form of occupation.
"Israel" did not immediately respond to these remarks. However, Security Minister Israel Katz previously underscored that Tel Aviv "will not allow any arrangement that does not include the achievement of the war's objectives - and above all Israel's right to enforce and act on its own."
France, with its historical ties to Lebanon, has been actively seeking to broker a temporary ceasefire in Lebanon, working in parallel with the United States. However, these efforts reached an impasse in late September.
Coordination between France and the outgoing US administration has grown more challenging, as US envoy Amos Hochstein is concentrating on his own proposals, Reuters said.
In this regard, Barrot remarked that it is unfeasible for France to lead the Lebanese initiative alone, as the US influence is essential to gain "Israel's" cooperation. Conversely, Washington would struggle alone due to what he called a lack of "fine appreciation of Lebanon's internal political dynamics."
This comes as the Israeli occupation military is now announcing the second phase of its attempted ground invasion of Lebanon after its first attempt failed to push Hezbollah out of the frontlines or stop its rockets and drones from being launched toward Israeli settlements.
Earlier, the Islamic Resistance's Operations Room vowed that the decision by the Israeli military to move to the second phase of the "ground maneuver" in South Lebanon would only result in further losses for Israeli forces, underscoring Hezbollah's readiness to counter any offensive.
Read more: With impunity, IOF pursue aggression on South, Bekaa, Beirut's suburb
