France pushes efforts to ease tensions

BEIRUT — France’s top diplomat on Sunday urged calm in Lebanon during his second visit to the country since cross-border tensions between Hezbollah and Israel flared on the back of the conflict in Gaza.

France has historical ties with Lebanon. Earlier this year, Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne delivered an initiative that proposed Hezbollah’s elite unit pull back 10 kilometers from the border, while Israel would halt strikes in southern Lebanon.

Tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border escalated on Oct 8, following a barrage of rockets launched by the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah toward Israel in solidarity with Hamas’ attack on Israel a day before. Israel then retaliated by firing heavy artillery toward southeastern Lebanon.

France’s proposal, which has been discussed with partners, notably the United States, has not moved forward, but Paris wants to keep momentum in talks and convey to Lebanese officials that Israeli threats of a military operation in southern Lebanon should be taken seriously.

Hezbollah has maintained it will not have any concrete discussions unless there is a cease-fire in Gaza, where the conflict between Israel and Hamas has entered its seventh month.

Israel has also said it wants to ensure peace is restored on its northern border so thousands of displaced Israelis can return to the area without fear of rocket attacks from across the border.

Aroldo Lazaro Saenz, head of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, expressed his deep concern over the intense fire exchange across the Blue Line.

The Blue Line, established by the UN in 2000, spans 120 kilometers and serves to verify the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon. It is a temporary demarcation line until the two countries officially establish their land borders.

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and army chief Joseph Aoun met French President Emmanuel Macron earlier this month, and discussed the French proposal.

In a letter addressed to the French embassy in Beirut in March, Lebanon’s foreign ministry said Beirut believed the French initiative would be a significant step toward peace and security in Lebanon and the broader region.

Local Lebanese media said the government had provided feedback to the French on the proposal.

Israel has remained cautious on the French initiative, although Israeli and French officials say Israel supports efforts to defuse the crossborder tensions.