France’s FM in Lebanon to prevent escalation with Israel

France’s foreign minister will push proposals to prevent further escalation and a potential war between Israel and Iranbacked Hezbollah during a visit to Lebanon as Paris seeks to refine a roadmap that both sides could accept to ease tensions.

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

The two neighbouring countries have exchanged tit for tat strikes in recent months.

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 underscore to Lebanese officials that Israeli threats of a military operation in southern Lebanon should be taken seriously.

Hezbollah has maintained it will not enter any concrete discussion until there is a ceasefire in Gaza, where the war between Israel and Hamas has entered its sixth month.

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Nikati and Lebanese army chief Joseph Aoun met French President Emmanuel Macron earlier this month, where they 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 towards peace and security in Lebanon and the broader region.

French officials say the responses so far have been general and lack consensus among the Lebanese.

Lebanon has neither a head of state nor a fully empowered cabinet since Michel Aoun’s term as president ended in October 2022.

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