France to send delegation to 'Israel' to prevent war with Hezbollah
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France wants to mitigate the rising tensions on the southern Lebanese borders with the occupied Palestine after Hezbollah pledged to continue to unwaveringly support Gaza.
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UN peacekeepers patrol next to a damaged house in the southern village of Marwahin, Lebanon, November 25, 2023 (AP)
In a bid to avert a further escalation of hostilities on the Lebanese border with occupied Palestine, a French diplomatic delegation is scheduled to visit occupied Palestine this week for meetings with the Israeli regime.
Israeli Channel 13 reported on Monday that the French delegation, consisting of diplomats and high-ranking officials from the French army, aims to facilitate a diplomatic resolution to the tensions in northern occupied Palestine.
According to the Israeli channel, the primary objective is the prevention of the outbreak of a war with Lebanon.
An Israeli official, the outlet said, affirmed that "Israel" was ready for a diplomatic solution. However, time is a limiting factor that should be taken into consideration.
A French diplomat responded to this assertion by underlining the need for promptly addressing the tensions.
Moran Azar, a political affairs correspondent for Channel 13, expressed skepticism about the success of the diplomatic effort.
According to Azar, while "Israel" conveys its willingness to take political measures to avert a conflict in the north, there is a sense of urgency.
"In Israel, they tell the French and Americans that they are ready to take a political step to prevent the need to open a battle in the north soon, but they do not have much time," Azar stated.
The French delegation is expected to meet with senior officials from the Israeli Foreign Ministry and the Security Ministry during their visit.
Bloomberg reported on Sunday that an Israeli tank captain claimed that "Hezbollah has planned to do something very similar in the north for years," reaffirming the fear that such a plan could still be on the table, especially following the successful Operation Al-Aqsa Flood of the Palestinian Resistance, which is considered to be militarily less advanced than Hezbollah.
On that note, since the operations in support of the Palestinian Resistance began in the north of occupied Palestine, as many as 250 people who usually live in the "Menara" Kibbutz have decamped to the town of Tabarayya where the Israeli occupation government has been paying for their accommodation.
Significantly, the report stressed that a solution for the dilemma of the north could be that a "stronger military presence" in the northern settlements "may deter Hezbollah from crossing the border or stepping up its attacks," however, it stressed that even with such a decision by the Israeli occupation, "it’s unlikely to convince Israelis who live in the region to come."
The report further underscored that such a decision will also not "diminish the threat of Hezbollah’s more advanced weaponry, which includes missiles that could strike as far afield as Eilat on Israel’s southeastern tip."
Settler Ron Tomer, president of the "Manufacturers’ Association of Israel," on his part, stressed that even though "the government has begun paying incentives to workers to return to their jobs in the north, topping up their salaries," it remained that the incentive "doesn’t address the security question, or provide long-term clarity to those who live along the northern border as to whether they should return."
As for the tank captain, the report noted that he believed that "there’s no other option" than to maintain a heavy military presence in the north until "Israel" can "bring back the sense of security."
While the sense of security the occupation sought has become out of sight, it remained that the existential crisis the occupation is faced with has deepened as liberation movements in the region voiced their positions and proved their willingness and commitment to liberation.
